Victoria香蕉视频直播檚 longest day is arriving early this year, bringing with it a rare celestial twist that reminds us we香蕉视频直播檙e spinning through space on a tilted axis.
The summer solstice typically falls on June 21, but for the second consecutive year, it lands a day earlier.
On June 20, at 7:42 p.m. the sun will reach its highest point in the northern sky and appear to 香蕉视频直播渟tand still香蕉视频直播� before beginning its slow shift southward.
Ben Dorman, chair and acting treasurer of the Friends of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, explains the science behind this ancient celestial event that has captivated people for millennia.
香蕉视频直播淭he solstice is the point when the sun reaches its most northerly point in the Northern Hemisphere,香蕉视频直播� Dorman said. 香蕉视频直播淚t comes from the Latin meaning 香蕉视频直播榮un standing,香蕉视频直播� because until the solstice, the sun appears to move further north each day at sunset. On the solstice, it stops moving north and begins heading south again.香蕉视频直播�
This yearly event marks the longest day of the year in terms of daylight hours, though it香蕉视频直播檚 not necessarily the hottest day 香蕉视频直播� that usually comes later in summer.
The key reason for the solstice, Dorman says, is Earth香蕉视频直播檚 axial tilt, which is 23.4 degrees.
香蕉视频直播淎s the Earth orbits the sun, its axis points in a slightly different direction, and the solstices are when the North Pole is tilted directly toward or away from the sun,香蕉视频直播� he explained.
The precise date of the solstice shifts slightly from year to year due to the way our calendar counts days.
The solar year 香蕉视频直播� the time it takes Earth to complete one orbit around the sun 香蕉视频直播� is actually about 365.242198 days, not a neat 365. That香蕉视频直播檚 why leap years add a day every four years to keep the calendar roughly aligned.
香蕉视频直播淏ut the solstice doesn香蕉视频直播檛 care about how we keep the calendar,香蕉视频直播� Dorman said. 香蕉视频直播淚t happens at the same point in Earth香蕉视频直播檚 orbit around the sun. Because of the leap year cycle, the solstice can drift by a day or so, but it resets every four years when we add a leap day.香蕉视频直播�
For Victoria, situated at about 48.42 degrees north latitude, the solstice means some of the longest daylight hours in the country.
On June 20, the sun will rise at approximately 5:10 a.m. and set just after 9:20 p.m., leaving 16 hours and 10 minutes of daylight.
However, for astronomers wanting to catch truly dark skies, the window is brief.
香蕉视频直播淭he sun is far enough below the horizon for true darkness for only about 40 minutes between 12:55 and 1:35 a.m.,香蕉视频直播� Dorman said.
A common misconception Dorman points out is the idea that Earth is closer to the sun during summer, which isn香蕉视频直播檛 true for Victoria and most of the Northern Hemisphere.
香蕉视频直播淭he Earth is actually closest to the sun in early January and farthest away in early July,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭he seasons are driven more by the tilt of the Earth than the distance from the sun.香蕉视频直播�
The solstice, then, is a reminder of Earth香蕉视频直播檚 elegant dance around the sun, its tilt creating the shifting seasons and the rhythm of light and dark that shapes life in Victoria and beyond.
One way to visualize this rhythm is through something called an analemma 香蕉视频直播� a figure-eight shape that traces the sun香蕉视频直播檚 position in the sky at the same time each day over the course of a year.
The top of the loop marks the sun香蕉视频直播檚 high point at the summer solstice, while the bottom aligns with its lowest arc in winter.
Starting June 21, the reverse begins 香蕉视频直播� we will lose about one minute of daylight every three days.
The winter solstice, which falls on Dec. 21, 2025, marks the shortest day of the year. On that day, there will be only about 8 hours and 18 minutes of daylight 香蕉视频直播� roughly half the amount expected on June 20.
History shows that the solstice has been observed for more than 5,000 years, dating back to the Neolithic period. It has often been regarded as an unofficial halfway point of the year.
For many, it香蕉视频直播檚 a chance to experience the longest day of the year, reflect on the months passed, and set goals for the remainder of the year as the sun sets.
So on June 20, as the sun climbs to its highest point, you can look skyward and reflect on the cosmic choreography at play 香蕉视频直播� a pattern written not just in our calendars, but traced in the sky itself.
