Summer Solstice 2022: Interesting facts about the longest day

CHENNAI: Summer solstice, also known as the longest day of the year, falls on June 21 this year. The solstice occurs on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, at 5:14 a.m. EDT.

The "Solstice" word originated from Latin 'sol' which means sun and 'sistere' called stand still is the point where the Sun appears to reach either the highest or lowest point in the sky. The solstice usually falls between June 20 and 22 each year. This year, the summer solstice will occur on June 21 at 5:14 am. It will occur through Bahamas, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, India and southern China, for those living above the Tropic of Cancer, which is the longest day of the year.

Why is June 21 called the longest day?

This happens when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer in the technical term 23.5 degree north latitude.

What is a Solstice & What is an Equinox?

Solstice

The solstice is the longest day and the shortest night of the year as it marks the start of the summer. In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice is in June, and south of the equator, it is in December.

Equinoxes

When solstices mark the beginning of the spring, Equinoxes work directly. The term equinox, meaning 'Equal' and nox meaning 'Night.' The Equinox will experience roughly as much night time as daytime, which is known as Equal Night.

Summer Solstice, Northern Hemisphere (June)

In Tambaram, the solstice will occur on Tuesday, 21 June 2022, 14:43 IST.

Summer Solstice, Southern Hemisphere (December)

In Tambaram, the solstice occurs on Thursday, 22 December 2022, 03:18 IST

How long is the summer?

The Earth does not move at a constant speed, so the seasons of the months are not of equal length. On average, summer lasts for 93.6 days in the Northern Hemisphere and 89.0 days in the Southern Hemisphere.

The average season of the lengths are:

* March equinox to June solstice: 92.8 days

* June solstice to September equinox: 93.6 days

* September equinox to December solstice: 89.8 days

* December solstice to March equinox: 89.0 days

Top 5 interesting facts

* During the summer solstice, the days get shorter, but at the same time they will get ever larger intervals as the September equinox occurs.

* According to Earthsky, the Earth is tilted on its axis by roughly 23.4 degrees relative to the plane of its orbit, which is the reason behind solstices.

* The summer solstice is also known as Midsummer, while some of the Christian churches called it as St John's Day to recognise the birth of John.

* There is only one place outside the Arctic Circle where the sun not settles down in northern Iceland, the place is called as Iceland.

* According to the Vikings, in the season of the solstice as part of the offering to gods they hung dead human and animal bodies in trees as the practice of human sacrifice.