June solstice: Summer is officially here

Today we mark the June solstice, the longest day of the year and signalling the start of astronomical summer.

A solstice occurs when one of Earth’s pole reaches its maximum tilt towards the Sun. For those of us in the northern hemisphere today will be the longest of the year, but for those in the southern hemisphere, it’s the opposite.

There are two solstices each year, today marks summer, while the second, in December, brings winter.

You may be thinking that we already marked the arrival of summer. You would be correct.

There are actually two starts to summer, Meteorological summer began on 1st June and will last until August 31st.

Today marks astronomical summer, which is dependent on the tilt of the Earth on its rotational axis and will last until September 23rd.

On the summer solstice, the sun travels its longest path after rising, reaching its highest point, before setting around 17 hours later. Make sure you make the most of the additional daylight!