What is the 'Summer Solstice'?
Today there will be astronomical phenomena summer solstice for people in the northern hemisphere and winter solstice for residents in the southern hemisphere. The question is what is the 'Summer Solstice'?
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Launching the Science Focus page, Wednesday, June 21, 2023, it is stated that the summer solstice occurs right at the time when the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky, which is when the northern hemisphere is most tilted towards the Sun.
When does the Summer Solstice occur?
It marks the point when direct sunlight hits a part of the Earth. The Summer Solstice occurs in the Northern Hemisphere when the Earth moves to such a position that the North Pole points toward the Sun, making the Sun high in the sky.
At the same time, Earth's South Pole points away from the Sun, so the Southern Hemisphere experiences the winter solstice on the same day. Earth's axis inclines about 24 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun.
On this day, the northern hemisphere is tilted at its closest point to the Sun, and the southern hemisphere is tilted farthest from the Sun, which is why the northern and southern hemispheres have opposite seasons to each other.
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Because it is related to tilt rather than orbital distance, Earth is closest to the Sun (perihelion) in January and farthest from it (aphelion) in July.
The summer solstice is not necessarily the hottest day of the year. Usually, the hottest day of the year is in July or August. This is because the oceans and land release heat absorbed from the longer days back into the atmosphere.
The event occurred on the first astronomical day of summer and marked the exact point the Northern Hemisphere points directly toward the Sun.
It also marks the longest day of the year, with the highest amount of daylight in a single day in 2023. It is expected to last at least 16 hours of daylight in the United Kingdom and the United States.
The event is now the first of two solstices throughout the year, with the second occurring in December. The summer solstice will always take place between June 20-22. So for residents in the southern hemisphere, this is the longest night.
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