Here are some highlights for the first day of summer today and the longest day of the year:
- The Northern Hemisphere summer solstice will occur at 8:57 AM MDT on June 21, 2023.
- This date marks the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum tilt (about 23.5 degrees) toward the Sun, resulting in the longest day and shortest night of the calendar year.
- On the day of the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives sunlight at the most direct angle of the year.
- During the first week in January, the Earth is about 1.6 million miles closer to the sun.
- The aphelion, or the point at which the Earth is about 1.6 million miles farther away from the sun, occurs during the first week in July.
- This fact may sound counter to what we know about seasons in the Northern Hemisphere, but actually the difference is not significant in terms of climate and is NOT the reason why we have seasons.
- Seasons are caused by the fact that the Earth is tilted on its axis by 23.5°. The tilt's orientation with respect to space does not change during the year; thus, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun in June and away from the sun in December.
Check out all the info from the ABQ National Weather Service Summer Solstice feature.