06/20/2024
Happy Summer Solstice!
In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs when the Sun travels along its northernmost path in the sky. This marks the astronomical start of summer in the northern half of the globe. (In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite: the June solstice marks the astronomical start of winter when the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky.)
The June solstice occurs on Thursday, June 20, 2024, at 4:51 P.M. EDT.
The Sun sets more slowly at the solstice
Did you know that the Sun actually sets more slowly around the time of a solstice, in that it takes longer to set below the horizon? This is related to the angle of the setting Sun. The farther the Sun sets from due west along the horizon, the shallower the angle of the setting Sun. (Conversely, it’s faster at or near the equinoxes.)
The term “solstice” comes from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still).
CREDIT: The Old Farmers Almanac
