![]() ![]() While we consider this day the start of summer in the United States, other cultures consider it closer to the middle of summer. In fact, countries and territories north of the Arctic Circle (such as Alaska) witness what is called the “midnight sun” and the sun is visible for a full 24 hours. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, this occurs on June 21 and marks the longest day and the shortest night of the year. On the summer solstice (also called midsummer in some cultures), one of the earth’s poles reaches its maximum tilt (23.44 degrees) toward the sun. ![]() So what is so special about this date and time that makes it the solstice? Let’s look at the science behind it. Monuments such as Stonehenge and The Great Pyramids of Khufu and Khafre are thought to have been constructed in alignment with the sun’s position on the summer solstice. It has been celebrated for centuries and is associated with everything from the start of the new year in ancient Greece to the feminine “yin” force in ancient China. The summer solstice marks the first day of summer and falls on June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere this year. For those of us with kids, it means early sunrises, late sunsets and a lot of “but the sun is out!” arguments for waking us up early or staying up late. ![]() Summer is here! That means long days, short nights and rising temperatures to enjoy. ![]()
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