summer solstice
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summer solstice
n.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the solstice that occurs on or about June 21.
June 21-22 (Northern Hemisphere); December 21-22 (Southern Hemisphere)
There are times during the year, respectively in each hemisphere, when the sun is at its furthest point from the equator. It reaches its northernmost point around June 21, which is the longest day of the year for those living north of the equator, and its southernmost point around December 22, which is the longest day for those living in the Southern Hemisphere. The summer solstice marks the first day of the summer season—the word solstice is from the Latin word, solstitium, meaning "sun-stopping," since the point at which the sun appears to rise and set stops and reverses direction after this day.
Although it was very common to celebrate the summer solstice in ancient times, modern American observations are comparatively rare. But there are a number of solstice observances held by New Age and Neopagan groups throughout the United States.
See also Capac Raymi, Doan Ngu, Druids' Summer Solstice Ceremony, Midnight Sun Festival, Midsummer Day, Ysyakh
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Aviation:
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summer solstice
A solstice that occurs on June 21, give or take a day or two, when the sun is vertically overhead the 231/2° north parallel.
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categories related to 'summer solstice'
- Cyclical Events - summer solstice: June 21, being first day of summer and longest daylight period in Northern Hemisphere
- Annual National and Religious Holidays - summer solstice: June 21 in Northern Hemisphere, first day of summer
- Fixed Times - summer solstice: June 21 in Northern Hemisphere
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Summer solstice
For other uses, see Summer solstice (disambiguation).
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| UT date and time of equinoxes and solstices on the earth [1] |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| event | Northward equinox |
Northern solstice |
Southward equinox |
Southern solstice |
||||
| month | March | June | September | December | ||||
| year | ||||||||
| day | time | day | time | day | time | day | time | |
| 2010 | 20 | 17:32 | 21 | 11:28 | 23 | 03:09 | 21 | 23:38 |
| 2011 | 20 | 23:21 | 21 | 17:16 | 23 | 09:04 | 22 | 05:30 |
| 2012 | 20 | 05:14 | 20 | 23:09 | 22 | 14:49 | 21 | 11:12 |
| 2013 | 20 | 11:02 | 21 | 05:04 | 22 | 20:44 | 21 | 17:11 |
| 2014 | 20 | 16:57 | 21 | 10:51 | 23 | 02:29 | 21 | 23:03 |
| 2015 | 20 | 22:45 | 21 | 16:38 | 23 | 08:20 | 22 | 04:48 |
| 2016 | 20 | 04:30 | 20 | 22:34 | 22 | 14:21 | 21 | 10:44 |
| 2017 | 20 | 10:28 | 21 | 04:24 | 22 | 20:02 | 21 | 16:28 |
| 2018 | 20 | 16:15 | 21 | 10:07 | 23 | 01:54 | 21 | 22:23 |
| 2019 | 20 | 21:58 | 21 | 15:54 | 23 | 07:50 | 22 | 04:19 |
| 2020 | 20 | 03:50 | 20 | 21:44 | 22 | 13:31 | 21 | 10:02 |
The summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. This happens twice each year, at which times the Sun reaches its highest position in the sky as seen from the North or South Pole respectively.
The summer solstice is the solstice that occurs in a hemisphere's summer. In the Northern Hemisphere this is the Northern solstice, in the Southern Hemisphere this is the Southern solstice. Depending on the shift of the calendar, the summer solstice occurs some time between December 20 and December 23 each year in the Southern Hemisphere[2] , and between June 20 and June 22 in the Northern Hemisphere[3] in reference to UTC.[4]
Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also colloquially used like Midsummer to refer to the day on which it occurs. Except in the polar regions (where daylight is continuous for many months), the day on which the summer solstice occurs is the day of the year with the longest period of daylight.
Worldwide, interpretation of the event has varied among cultures, but most have held a recognition of sign of the fertility, involving holidays, festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations around that time.[5]
The word solstice derives from Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still).
Celebrations
- Midsummer
- Ivan Kupala Day
- Saint Jonas' Festival
- Kupala fertility rite
- Wianki
See also
References
- ^ United States Naval Observatory (2010-06-10). "Earth's Seasons: Equinoxes, Solstices, Perihelion, and Aphelion, 2000-2020". http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/data-services/earth-seasons.
- ^ "December Solstice". Time and Date AS. http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/december-solstice.html. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ "The June Solstice". Time and Date AS. http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/june-solstice.html. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ^ "Solstice (astronomy)". Britannica Online Encyclopedia. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/553654/solstice. Retrieved 2011-06-20.
- ^ "Summer solstice celebrations of Christianity, Judaism, Neopaganism, etc". Religioustolerance.org. http://www.religioustolerance.org/summer_solstice.htm. Retrieved 2011-06-20.
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