Summer solstice 2024: Top 10 interesting facts on longest day of the year

The summer solstice, celebrated on June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, marks the day with the longest period of daylight and the shortest night of the year. According to NASA, this year, the summer solstice in India will occur on June 21 at 8:09 pm IST. 

Top 10 interesting facts

The list below gives some interesting facts about the longest day of the year:

• The term ‘summer solstice’ originates from Latin, translating to “sun stands still”. 
• It occurs twice yearly, once in the Northern Hemisphere and once in the Southern Hemisphere.

• June solstice usually takes place between June 20 and 22 in the Northern Hemisphere and marks the year's longest day.
• The December solstice typically occurs between December 20 and 23 in the Southern Hemisphere.
• During this time, the Sun ascends to its highest point. In other words, one of Earth's poles has its maximum tilt toward the Sun of about 23.5 degrees.

• At the same time, the Sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer at latitude 23.5°N while the North Pole is tilted closest to the Sun.
• The length of the day increases as one moves from the Equator towards the North Pole in the Northern Hemisphere during the summer solstice.
• During the winter solstice, the length of the day decreases as one moves from the Equator towards the South Pole in the Southern Hemisphere.

• The historical significance of the summer solstice is evident in the way many ancient civilizations constructed monuments in alignment with the solstices. Notably, Stonehenge in England and the Pyramids of Egypt were designed to align with the sunrise during the summer solstice.
• This year, the summer solstice was observed globally on June 20 at 4:50 PM EDT, but in India, it will take place today at 8:09 PM IST, according to US space agency NASA. The day coincides with the 10th International Yoga Day.

The alignment of the strawberry moon with the summer solstice is a rare astronomical occurrence, rendering this year's event especially significant. The full moon will peak on June 21st at 9:08 pm ET and appear full from Thursday evening until Sunday morning, spanning around three days.