It has already been “summer” for a few weeks with kids out of school and vacations starting, but Friday marks the official start of summer.
To make things more confusing, meteorological summer happened on June 1, since some meteorologists cut the year into four, three-month segments using the calendar and temperature cycles, Old Farmer’s Almanac said.
According to the astronomical calendar, June 20 marks the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, and the longest day of the year arrives at exactly 10:42 p.m. ET, according to the Almanac.
The summer solstice, also known as the June solstice, occurs when the Sun is traveling on its northernmost path and the North Pole is tilted the most to the sun, at about 23.5 degrees.
According to Merriam-Webster, the word solstice is Middle English from the Latin word solstitium. Solstitium broken down is sol, meaning sun and -stit, meaning stand.
In some areas, there will be little to no darkness. The Arctic Circle will see the sun for 24 hours, and is known as the “Land of the Midnight Sun,” according to the Farmers’ Almanac.
The solstice can occur on any day, depending on when the Sun is at its northernmost point, meaning it could be on June 20, 21, or 22.
Next year, the summer solstice will occur on June 21 at 4:24 A.M. ET, the Almanac said.
Is it the longest day everywhere?
No.
In the Southern Hemisphere, June 20 marks the shortest day, NASA and ABC News said.
When the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing the winter solstice, the Southern Hemisphere will have its summer solstice.
Solar noon?
After Friday, the Sun will appear to go backwards, but it’s an illusion due to the tilt of the Earth, the Almanac explained. You will also see your shortest shadow if you go out at solar noon, or when the sun crosses the meridian between north and south. In Washington, D.C., that’s at 1:09 p.m., according to the Time and Date website.
To find your solar noon, click here and enter your city in the search box on the right-hand side of the page.
How to celebrate?
There are several ways to celebrate the summer solstice. ABC News said some will gather at Stonehenge to watch the sunrise align with the massive stones, while people in Sweden will dance around a maypole. In Norway, bonfires are lit.
When is the shortest day?
With June 20 being the longest day of sunlight, there has to be a day with the shortest amount of sunlight. The winter solstice will occur on Dec. 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the Royal Museums Greenwich.