The height of summer has arrived, which means it’s all downhill from here. June 20 marks the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. This phenomenon occurs when the Earth’s pole is tilted most directly toward the sun, bathing us in the peak of summer sunlight. From this point on, daylight hours will gradually shorten, signaling the dreaded transition to winter.
What is the summer solstice?
Normally the summer solstice occurs on June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, but this year we celebrate the longest day and shortest night of the year a day earlier, making the astronomical event the earliest in 228 years, since 1796, when George Washington became president used to be. .
While this takes place in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere is at its most extreme side, away from the Sun, marking the winter solstice and the shortest day of the year.
The summer solstice is a moment when time seems to stand still. According to Sky History, the term “solstice” comes from two Latin words, “sun” and “standstill,” which represent the delayed appearance of the sun in the sky. The ‘solstice break’ marks a desire to hold on to the summer sun a little longer, before our short days take over.
For Utah, the sun rose at 5:56 a.m. and sets at 9:02 p.m. Thursday, reaching the peak of the solstice at 2:50 p.m. This gives Utahns 15 hours and 6 minutes of daylight. According to Reference, after the astronomical summer peak, the days will shorten by about a minute every three days.
So how can Utahns make the most of this longest day of the year before the shorter, darker days return?
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Midsummer celebrations have been observed throughout human history, with the most notable being the Greek festivals. According to Sky History, the ancient Greeks marked their midsummer celebrations with festivals and a feast dedicated to the god Kronos. This was a day when everyone, even enslaved workers, were released from their duties in honor of the summer solstice. In Utah, you can make the most of the longest day of the year by participating in your own ‘party’: an all-American BBQ.
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Sunbeds. Utah is known for its beautiful scenery and national parks. Take a hike, take a dip in Utah Lake and enjoy 15 hours of sunshine.
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Visit local wellness centers for fitness or yoga events around the summer solstice.
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This summer solstice comes with a special treat: a full strawberry moon. According to USA Today, the “strawberry moon” was named in tribute to the berry harvest of Native American Algonquian tribes living in the northwestern US. KUTV reported that the moon will be visible in the Utah sky on June 21 at 7:07 p.m.
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An idea to celebrate the golden full moon and the summer solstice with family and loved ones is to enjoy delicious strawberries. Check out this link for an easy recipe for chocolate covered strawberries.
