The Northern Hemisphere is basking in its longest day of the year as the summer solstice officially ushers in astronomical summer.

Falling on Friday this year, the solstice marks the moment when the Earth’s north pole tilts closest to the sun, giving regions north of the equator their maximum hours of daylight. While the north celebrates the sun’s peak, the Southern Hemisphere experiences its shortest day as winter begins there.

The word “solstice” originates from the Latin sol (sun) and stitium (pause), reflecting the point at which the sun appears to halt its climb before reversing course. Though the solstice offers the most daylight, the days will now gradually shorten until the winter solstice in December.

For millennia, cultures around the world have celebrated the solstice, with ancient monuments like Stonehenge aligning precisely with the sun’s path on this day.

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Scientifically, solstices represent extremes in the Earth’s annual orbit. The planet's tilted axis causes unequal sunlight distribution between hemispheres. The summer solstice, typically between June 20–22, results in the longest day in the north, while the winter solstice between December 20–23 brings the shortest.

In contrast, equinoxes—occurring around March 20 and September 22—bring equal hours of day and night, as the sun shines directly over the equator.

Astronomical seasons are based on Earth’s position in orbit, while meteorological seasons follow the calendar and climate patterns, dividing the year into three-month segments beginning on the first day of each new season.

Source: With inputs froma agency