The 2023 June solstice falls at 14:58 UTC (9:58 a.m. CDT) immediately, Wednesday, June 21.
Northern Hemisphere summer time
The June solstice marks the yr’s northernmost sundown and dawn. It brings the yr’s longest interval of daylight to the Northern Hemisphere (least daylight within the Southern Hemisphere). North of the Arctic Circle, the sun neither rises nor units however stays above the horizon repeatedly, across the clock.
Within the Northern Hemisphere, noontime shadows are shortest at this solstice. It’s the yr’s highest sun, as seen from the Tropic of Cancer and all locations north.
For us within the Northern Hemisphere, the June solstice alerts the start of summer time. For the Southern Hemisphere, winter begins at this solstice.
The solstice is a whole-Earth occasion. It occurs on the similar instantaneous for all of us – the moment the sun reaches its northernmost level in our sky – an instantaneous that’s the identical for everybody on Earth. However our clocks say completely different occasions.
Southern Hemisphere winter
Earth’s orbit across the sun – and tilt on its axis – have introduced us to a spot in space the place our world’s Northern Hemisphere has its time of best daylight: its longest day and shortest evening. In the meantime, the June solstice and northernmost sun brings the shortest day and longest evening south of the equator.
This solstice marks the start of Southern Hemisphere winter.
It marks the bottom sun and longest noontime shadow for these on the southern a part of Earth’s globe.
South of the Antarctic circle, the sun neither rises nor units however stays beneath the horizon for twenty-four hours.
Northernmost sundown, however not newest sundown
The sun units farthest north on the day of the solstice, bringing the longest day for the Northern Hemisphere. However this summer time solstice doesn’t carry the newest sundown. And it doesn’t carry the earliest dawn. The precise dates fluctuate with latitude, however the sequence is all the time the identical: earliest sunrise earlier than the summer time solstice, longest day on the summer time solstice, latest sunset after the summer time solstice.
For the Southern Hemisphere, the place it’s winter now, the newest dawn – and earliest dawn – don’t come on the day of the solstice both. Once more, the precise dates fluctuate with latitude. However the sequence is all the time the identical: earliest sundown earlier than the winter solstice, shortest day on the winter solstice, newest dawn after the winter solstice.
Every solstice marks a turning of the yr.
Whilst this northern summer time begins with the solstice, all through the world the solstice additionally represents a “turning” of the yr.
In truth, to many cultures, the solstice can imply a restrict or a fruits of one thing. From around the globe, the sun is now setting and rising as far north because it ever does. The solstice marks when the sun reaches its northernmost level for the yr.
Then after the June solstice, the sun will start its refined shift southward on the sky’s dome once more. Thus even in summer time’s starting, we discover the seeds of summer time’s finish.
Read more: All you need to know about June solstice 2023
Backside line: The northernmost sundown (and dawn) occurs on the June solstice. Right here’s some fast data that’ll assist you to join with nature on this particular day.
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