Earth from Orbit: Summer Solstice | NOAA

Earth from Orbit: Summer Solstice | NOAA

June 21 marked the official start of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere. The summer solstice—the longest day and shortest night of the year—occurred at 5:14 a.m. EDT.

The seasons change at various times of the year due to the planet’s axial tilt of 23.5 degrees as it orbits the sun. This tilt means the two hemispheres are exposed to different sun angles and variable lengths of daylight throughout the year. The solstices mark when the sun reaches its most northerly or southerly position relative to the Earth’s equator. 

Thus, the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is the exact moment each year when this region of Earth reaches its greatest possible tilt toward the sun. The sun's direct rays reach their northernmost position with respect to Earth's equator, along the Tropic of Cancer, at 23.5 degrees north latitude. As the Earth rotates on its axis, the North Pole experiences 24 hours of daylight, while the South Pole is obscured in darkness. The opposite occurs at each pole in December, when the Northern Hemisphere sees its shortest day and longest night of the year.

Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Duration: 1 minute, 29 seconds

Release Date: June 24, 2022

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