Happy first day of summer! Solstice 2021

NASA; Telegraph Reporters 6/20/21; Pat Macpherson, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

The sun shines through Stonehenge as it sets in Wiltshire, England (Jessicaphoto/E+).

Phoniness of NASA's "space" CGI art is obvious

It's the summer solstice, Year 2021, and here's everything anyone needs to know about the longest day of the year. The astronomical summer season actually begins at 11:32 pm EDT (03:32 June 21 GMT).

The summer solstice is upon us. This solstice, otherwise known as the longest day of the year, falls on June 21, marking the return of brighter evenings. Though the lifting of all restrictions across the UK was postponed until July 19, there's still plenty to do to make the most of these long summer days.

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England entered Step Three of the roadmap of lockdown on May 17, allowing people to mix indoors for the first time since last summer, and groups of up to 30 can now gather outside.

What is the solstice, summer traditions, Stonehenge – and how to celebrate it in or out of lockdown? When is the longest day of the year? In the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice, or longest day of the year, takes place between June 20 and 22 each year.

This year it falls on Monday, June 21 -- when the UK will enjoy 16 hours and 38 minutes of daylight. The sun will rise at 4:52 am and set at 9:26 pm.

The solstice officially marks the beginning of the astronomical summer, which ends when the autumn equinox falls on September 22. Day and night will be at almost equal length on this day, as the sun crosses the celestial equator and moves southward into the northern hemisphere.

What happens during the summer solstice?

This is not how seasons work (Eric Dubay)

There are two solstices each year -- one in the winter and one in the summer. The summer solstice occurs when the tilt of Earth's axis is most inclined towards the sun and is directly above the Tropic of Cancer.

Traditionally, the summer solstice period fell between the planting and harvesting of crops, leaving people who worked the land time to relax. This is why June became the traditional month for weddings. 

It might seem like a day to celebrate, but it actually signals the moment the sun's path stops moving northward in the sky and the start of days becoming steadily shorter as the slow march towards winter begins.

However, we won't notice the days becoming shorter for a while. The shortest day of the year isn't until Monday, December 21, known as the winter solstice; it lasts for 7 hours and 50 minutes in Britain, which is 8 hours, 48 minutes shorter than the June solstice. 

At the winter solstice, the Earth's axis is tilted furthest away from the sun directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, bringing only a few hours of daylight.

In the southern hemisphere the dates of the two solstices are reversed. The winter solstice occurs on the same day in June and the summer solstice the same day in December. The term solstice derives from the Latin word solstitium, meaning "sun standing still."

Some prefer the more Teutonic term "sunturn" to describe the event. Astrologers say the sun seems to "stand still" at the point on the horizon where it appears to rise and set, before moving off in the reverse direction.

Summer solstice traditions: Why is Stonehenge so significant? Stonehenge in Amesbury, Wiltshire is the most popular place for Pagans to celebrate the longest day because it famously aligns to the solstices. More