This event, which marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, has been a symbol of rebirth and return to life since ancient times
Astronomical summer makes its official entrance today, June 20, at 10.51pm Italian timewith the summer solstice. This event, which marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, has been a symbol of rebirth and return to life since ancient times.
An “early” summer solstice
The summer solstice 2024 is a particularly special event. Not only does it fall a day earlier than usual, but it also occurs at an unusually earlier time than in recent decades. The last time the summer solstice was celebrated this early, both in terms of date and time, dates back to 1796, 228 years ago.
What is the summer solstice?
The summer solstice represents the beginning of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere and astronomical winter in the Southern Hemisphere. This phenomenon occurs when the Sun reaches its point of maximum declination, which is when the Earth is most tilted towards our star. Consequently, in the northern hemisphere, the Sun reaches its maximum height in the sky and the day has its maximum duration.
Because the date and time of the solstice vary
The date and time of the summer solstice are not fixed, but can vary between June 20th and 21st. This delay of approximately 6 hours each year is due to the precession of the equinoxes, a slow change in the orientation of the Earth’s rotation axis. However, noIn leap years, such as 2024, this delay is compensatedcausing the solstice to fall one day earlier.
