19 Jun Did you know?? – The June Winter Solstice
The June solstice is the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the Winter Solstice the Southern Hemisphere.
The date varies between June 20 and June 22, depending on the year, and the local time zone.
1. Summer & Winter Solstice
In the Northern Hemisphere, where it is the longest day of the year in terms of daylight, the June Solstice is also called the Summer Solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere, on the other hand, it is the shortest day of the year and is known as the Winter Solstice.
2. First Solstice of the Year
Solstices happen twice a year – in June and December. The June Solstice happens around June 21, when the Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer. The December Solstice takes place around December 21. On this day, the Sun is precisely over the Tropic of Capricorn.
3 Solstice comes from the Latin words sol, meaning Sun and sistere, meaning to come to a stop or stand still. On the day of the June Solstice, the Sun reaches its northernmost position, as seen from the Earth. At that moment, its zenith does not move north or south as during most other days of the year, but it stands still at the Tropic of Cancer. It then reverses its direction and starts moving south again.
The opposite happens during the December Solstice. Then, the Sun reaches its southernmost position in the sky – Tropic of Capricorn – stands still, and then reverses its direction towards the north.
4. It Occurs at the Same Time…
…all over the world. Technically, the June Solstice is the exact instant of time when the Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer. In 2017, this will happen on June 21 at 04:24 UTC. Because of time zones differences, the event will take place on June 21 at locations that are more than 4 hours and 30 minutes behind UTC.
5. It Can be on June 20, 21, or 22
Even though most people consider June 21 as the date of the June Solstice, it can happen anytime between June 20 and June 22. June 22 Solstices are rare – the last June 22 Solstice in UTC time took place in 1975 and there won’t be another one until 2203
In the Southern Hemisphere, where this day marks the Winter Solstice, the earliest sunset happens a few days before the solstice, and the latest sunrise occurs a few days after it.
The June Solstice is the only day of the year when all locations inside the Arctic Circle experience a continuous period of daylight for 24 hours. Due to atmospheric refraction, however, the Midnight Sunnis visible for a few days before and on the June Solstice from areas as far as 60 miles (97 kilometers) south of the Arctic Circle. As one moves further north of the Arctic Circle, the number of days with the Midnight Sun increase.
