Summer solstice trivia| 41 facts about the phenomenon

Summer solstice occurs when a planet’s rotational axis, or geographic pole on either its northern or its southern hemisphere, is most inclined toward the star that it orbits.

So let’s find out some trivia and facts about this phenomenon.

1. On the summer solstice, Earth’s maximum axial tilt toward the Sun is 23.44°
2. Likewise, the Sun’s declination from the celestial equator is +23.44° in the Northern Sky and −23.44° in the Southern Sky
3. This happens twice each year
4. Once in each hemisphere
5. This happens when the Sun reaches its highest position in the sky as seen from the north or south pole
6. The summer solstice occurs during the hemisphere’s summer
7. This is the northern solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the southern solstice in the Southern Hemisphere
8. Depending on the shift of the calendar, the summer solstice occurs some time between June 20 and June 22 in the Northern Hemisphere
9. Between December 20 and December 23 each year in the Southern Hemisphere
10. The same dates in the opposite hemisphere are referred to as the winter solstice
11. As seen from a geographic pole, the Sun reaches its highest altitude of the year on the summer solstice
12. It can be solar noon only along that longitude, which at that moment lies in the direction of the Sun from the pole
13. The term is colloquially used like “midsummer” to refer to the day on which solstice occurs
14. The summer solstice day has the longest period of daylight
15. Except in the polar regions, where daytime remains continuous for 24 hours every day during a period ranging from a few days to six months around the summer solstice
16. Although the summer solstice is the longest day of the year for that hemisphere, the dates of earliest sunrise and latest sunset vary by a few days
17. This is related to the fact that the earth orbits the sun in an ellipse and its orbital speed varies slightly during the year
18. Although the sun appears at its highest altitude from the viewpoint of an observer in outer space or a terrestrial observer outside tropical latitudes, the highest altitude occurs on a different day for locations in the tropics
19. Specifically the sun is directly overhead (maximum 90 degrees elevation) at the subsolar point
20. This day occurs twice each year for all locations between the tropic of cancer and tropic of capricorn
21. Because the overhead sun appears to cross a given latitude once before the day of the solstice and once afterward
22. For example, Lahaina Noon occurs in May and July in Hawaii
23. For a observers, the apparent position of the noon sun is at its most northerly point on the June solstice and most southerly on the December solstice
24. 2016 was the first time in nearly 70 years that a full moon and the Northern Hemisphere’s summer solstice occurred on the same day
25. The 2016 summer solstice’s full moon rose just as the Sun set
26. Worldwide, interpretation of the event has varied among cultures
27. But most cultures recognize the event in some way with holidays, festivals, and rituals around that time with themes of religion or fertility
28. In some regions, the summer solstice is seen as the beginning of summer and the end of spring
29. In other cultural conventions, the solstice is closer to the middle of summer
30. Solstice is derived from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still)
31. 2016 was the first time in nearly 70 years that a full moon and the Northern Hemisphere’s summer solstice occurred on the same day
32. The 2016 summer solstice’s full moon rose just as the Sun set
33. Midsummer is the period of time centered upon the summer solstice
34. More specifically the northern European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice or take place on a day between June 19 and June 25 and the preceding evening
35. The exact dates vary among different cultures
36. The celebration predates Christianity, and existed under different names and traditions around the world
37. The undivided Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of the early Christian martyr St John the Baptist, and the observance of St John’s Day begins the evening before, known as St John’s Eve
38. These are commemorated by many Christian denominations, such as the Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, and Anglican Communion as well as by freemasonry
39. In Sweden, the Midsummer is such an important festivity that there have been proposals to make the Midsummer’s Eve into the National Day of Sweden, instead of June 6
40. In Latvia, Midsummer’s Jāņi festival is a public holiday
41. In Denmark and Norway, it may also be referred to as St. Hans Day