Summer Solstice Marks Longest Day of the Year

By Payton Tholstrup

Photo courtesy of Canva

Today is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year.

Solstice comes from the Latin words sol, which means sun, and sistere, which means stand still.

According to space.com, the summer solstice occurs because of a 23.5-degree tilt in Earth’s rotational axis. Because of this tilt, we experience seasons changing, equinoxes, and solstices.

These events have been celebrated by various cultures around the world for thousands of years. For example, some of the most iconic monuments on Earth, like Stonehenge, were built to align with the seasonal markers.

Not only is it the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, but it is also the day we receive the most direct angle of sunlight.

While the June Solstice marks the beginning of summer for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the beginning of winter in the Southern Hemisphere. This is also the shortest day of the year for those in the Southern Hemisphere.

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