Summer Solstice 2024: Longest Day, New Beginnings

 

 

The summer solstice of 2024 is almost upon us, and it will occur at the earliest time in over 200 years.

Why is this year's so early, and what does that mean?

There will be another spectacular sight in the skies after this historic moment. This is what to anticipate:

The summer solstice occurs when?

Timeanddate.com states that the summer solstice occurs in Chicago on June 20 at roughly 3:50 p.m. CST. According to timeanddate.com, the Chicago area will have the longest day of the year at that time, with roughly 15 hours, 13 minutes, and 41 seconds of daylight-the most we'll see in a single day this year.

Is it the first day of summer and what is the summer solstice?

The Farmer's Almanac states that the summer solstice, which begins the first day of astronomical summer, is the moment when the sun reaches its highest and northernmost positions in the sky.

For people in the Northern Hemisphere, it is also referred to as the longest day of the year or the day with the longest duration of sunlight.

The solstice usually occurs between June 20 and June 22, however it does not occur at the same time every year.

According to a blog post from the Adler Planetarium, "Our solstices are caused by the slight tilt in Earth's axis in relation to the plane of its orbit." This tilt deviates from vertical by roughly 23.5 degrees. Because of this, one half of the planet always tilts slightly in the direction of the Sun when Earth completes its annual orbit around it."

 Every day becomes longer as the summer solstice draws nearer, while the nights get shorter. The amount of daylight gradually decreases every day after the summer solstice until the winter solstice, which this year falls on December 21.

"The summer solstice occurs in the northern hemisphere when the northern half of the globe has its closest tilt towards the Sun of the year," said Adler. "Conversely, it’s also when the southern hemisphere experiences the winter solstice, as the southern half of the globe is at its furthest tilt away from the Sun."

 What makes the solstice this year so early?

The solstice this year will be the earliest in 228 years, according to Accuweather; the last time it occurred this early was on June 20, 1796.

According to the journal, "the exact day and time of the solstice varies slightly from year to year."

Weather Network described the change for 2024 as "something exceptional," adding that there's a chance that the early solstice coincides with the year's leap year.

"Our calendar and the solar year are still not quite in sync. Because of this, the vernal equinox happens every leap year about 40–50 minutes earlier than it did the year before, according to the network.

It's also noteworthy because the spring equinox occurred on March 19, which is the earliest spring equinox in 128 years and only the second time it has occurred on that day in over a century.

"Even taking into consideration that there was no daylight saving time back then, 2024's summer solstice is still earlier," the Weather Network stated.

The autumn equinox is the earliest since 1797, while the winter solstice is the earliest since 1798, suggesting that fall and winter will be comparable.

The equinoxes and solstices of every leap year following 2024 will occur "even earlier," according to Weather Network.

What makes it a solstice, exactly?

 The phrase solstice, in Adler's words, "means that the arc of the Sun-or Sol-stops in the sky."

Solstitium, which means "still or stopped," and sol, which means sun, are the Latin roots of the word, according to the Almanac.

Summer solstice sunrises and sunsets

The date of the earliest sunrise and later sunset is not marked by the solstice, although it is the day with the greatest amount of sunlight.

The latest sunsets of the year will happen in mid-to-late June, when the sun sets at about 8:30 p.m., according to timeanddate.com. For the majority of the month, the city will experience more than 15 hours of daylight; however, after the June 20 summer solstice, that amount will begin to decline.

Thankfully, the website states that sunsets in the area will last until August 8 at 8 p.m.

 Where to go to see the sunrise on the summer solstice

We have some excellent news for everyone who wants to watch the sunrise that day but isn't sure where to go: you don't need to go very far.

On June 20, 3,000 people participated in a survey by California-based photobook startup Mixbook to determine the top 150 locations in the country to see the sunrise. A well-known Chicago location made the top 50.

As stated on the rankings page, North Avenue Beach "offers a picturesque view of the sunrise over Lake Michigan" and "the juxtaposition of the natural beauty and the urban skyline is striking."

The top 10 places in the country to see the dawn are listed below, in case you're curious:

 

1.	Nevada's Lake Tahoe
2.	Utah's Arches National Park
3.	Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park
4.	Georgia's Stone Mountain Park
5.	Florida's Key West
6.	Florida's Everglades National Park
7.	New York's Adirondack Mountains
8.	Arizona's Sedona
9.	Red Rocks, Colorado
10.	Oregon's Cannon Beach

Summer solstice will be followed by a strawberry moon

Summer solstice is followed immediately by the June full moon, sometimes referred to as the "strawberry moon." It will also commemorate another significant event. The Farmer's Almanac predicts that at 8:08 p.m. CT, the full moon will be at its brightest.

"Since the 2024 June full Moon happens on the solstice, the very day the Sun is absolutely at its highest of the year, this month’s full Moon on the 21st is the very lowest full Moon, indeed, the lowest we’ve seen in years," according to the Almanac. "Take a peek at it! Due to its low orbit, the Moon will appear larger than it has ever been. We refer to this as the "Moon Illusion."