WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR
By The Editors of The Old Farmers Almanac
In 2020, the June solstice occurs on Saturday, June 20, marking the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Here’s all you need to learn about the summer solstice—the longest day of the year!
WHEN IS THE SUMMER SOLSTICE?
In 2020, the June solstice is Saturday, June 20, at 5:44 P.M. EDT. This date marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt (about 23.5 degrees) toward the Sun, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the calendar year. (By longest “day,” we mean the longest period of sunlight.) At the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives sunlight at the most direct angle of the year.
| Year | Summer Solstice (Northern Hemisphere) |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Saturday, June 20 at 5:44 P.M. EDT |
The Year’s Longest Day
The Summer Solstice is the day with the longest period of sunlight. Notice how the Sun appears highest in the sky at the solstice; its rays strike Earth at a more direct angle, causing the efficient warming we call summer. Because the Sun is highest in the sky on this day, you’ll notice that your shadow (at local, or solar, noon, not clock-time noon) is the shortest that it will be all year. [Local noon is when the Sun crosses the local meridian (an imaginary line between the North and South poles) and is highest in the sky for the day.]
For those who live in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the shortest day of the year and marks the arrival of winter.
Have a happy summer !
https://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-summer-summer-solstice
