Welcome Summer 2018!

Even though the heat has been on for weeks, with temperatures well in to the 80’s and 90’s and the lakes getting full use, today marks the official beginning of summer.

The Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, happens when the planet’s rotational axis on either its northern or southern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.   For the northern hemisphere it’s today, and for the southern hemisphere it will fall on our winter solstice in December.  At 6:07 a.m. the suns rays will get as far north as they will ever get.  Even though it happens around the same time of the year, it does not fall on the same day every year,  because the earth is actually moving in an ellipse, and not a perfect circle.

Locally, we will enjoy around 14 and a half hours of daylight.  Even though it is the longest day of the year, today will not mark the latest sunset, which will happen on the 27th of June, due to the elliptical motion mention earlier.

Cultures worldwide have their own way of celebrating the celestial event, from flocking to places like Stonehenge and the Pyramids to different pagan rituals throughout different religions.  If dressing in interesting garb and dancing around the bonfire isn’t your thing, take the time to appreciate the beauty we live in and linger just a little later in the longest day of the year.