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Longest day of the year on June 21: All about the summer solstice
As the Northern Hemisphere welcomes the arrival of summer, June 21, 2025, brings the year's longest day and shortest night—the summer astronomical phenomenon occurs when the Earth's tilt leans most directly toward the Sun, placing it at its highest point in the sky over the Tropic of solstice will officially occur at 8:12 am IST as most countries in the Northern Hemisphere will experience the longest daylight hours on June
Countries like India, the United States, and much of Europe will enjoy extended sunshine, with the North Pole experiencing 24 hours of daylight.
Photo: Nasa
WHY WILL JUNE 21 BE THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR?The solstice date varies slightly each year due to the fact that Earth's orbit around the Sun takes approximately 365.25 days. Leap years adjust for this, helping to keep our calendar aligned with the planet's the summer solstice highlights Earth's 23.5-degree axial tilt, the reason for our this day, the Sun's rays strike the Northern Hemisphere more directly and for a longer duration, providing the most sunlight of the contrast, the June solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. The farther a location is from the equator, the more noticeable this effect within the Antarctic Circle enter a period of polar night, during which the Sun doesn't rise above the horizon at all.
Graphic: Nasa
Beyond science, the solstice holds deep cultural and spiritual meaning. From ancient Egypt to modern England, people have observed this celestial event for thousands of remains a focal point, where crowds gather to witness the sunrise through the monument's ancient stones. In India, the solstice is closely followed by International Yoga Day, promoting harmony between body and summer solstice not only signals the beginning of astronomical summer but also invites reflection. As daylight begins to wane from June 22 onward, it shows nature's rhythms and the Earth's ceaseless Reel
