What you need to know about the summer solstice in 2024: The summer solstice, a seasonal change, occurs twice a year and marks the shortest and longest hours of daylight for the year. The summer and summer solstices cause significant differences in the length of day and night depending on which hemisphere a person lives in. For many observers, the summer solstice is therefore more noticeable than the subtle differences in day and night experienced during the spring and autumn equinoxes.
Therefore, after the six-month Arctic winter ends, the Northern Hemisphere reaches the summer solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year, while the Southern Hemisphere enters summer in December.
The summer solstice is celebrated as the beginning or midsummer of summer, when one of the Earth's poles is at its maximum tilt towards the Sun. After this, the days tend to get gradually shorter. Here's everything you need to know and expect on the 2024 summer solstice this year.
Summer Solstice 2024: When is it?
Every year, June 21 marks the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere of the world. According to NASA, this year the summer solstice will occur globally at 4:50 PM EDT on June 20. However, in India, it will occur at 8:09 PM IDT on June 21.
The 2024 Summer Solstice: The Science Behind It
Because the Earth rotates on its axis, the Northern Hemisphere receives more direct sunlight between March and September, meaning that people living in the Northern Hemisphere experience summer during this time of year because the Earth's axis is tilted at about 23.5 degrees, meaning the North Pole is facing towards the Sun and the South Pole is facing away from the Sun.
As a result, when the North Pole faces most directly toward the Sun and reaches its highest point at solar noon outside the tropics, it experiences the longest hours of daylight of the year. According to NASA, this occurs on June 20, 21, or 22, which marks the summer solstice, Latin for “sun stands still.”
Summer Solstice 2024: Discover Its Origin and Meaning
This tilt allows the Earth to receive more direct sunlight on its surface. (Source: Pixabay)
Tracing its origins, around 200 BC, the ancient Greek scholar Eratosthenes performed a groundbreaking experiment to measure the circumference of the Earth when he observed that on the summer solstice, sunlight was shining directly into a well in Aswan, Egypt, with the Sun directly overhead.
Furthermore, on his journey north to Alexandria, he noticed that the shadow of the obelisk was not vertical, indicating that the Sun was not directly overhead. By calculating the difference in the length of the shadow between the two cities and the distance between them, Eratosthenes was able to obtain an early and surprisingly accurate estimate of the Earth's circumference. He also provided compelling evidence that the Earth is not flat but spherical.
The summer solstice is therefore the longest day of the year and the day when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky. Spiritually, the summer solstice represents a time of renewal, growth and connection with the natural world. In many cultures, the summer solstice is seen as the “middle of summer” – a time to celebrate the life force of the sun.
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First uploaded on: June 20, 2024 11:47 IST
