UK Today News: First Day of Summer – Longest Day Of The Year 2010, Summer Solstice 2010 Is Today
First Day of Summer, Summer Solstice 2010: The Summer Solstice 2010 – the longest day of the year 2010 – is set to take place on Monday, June 21 2010 and this will also be the first day of sumer for this year.
Lefteris Pitarakis, AP
On a Summer Solstice , the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere and this is the day with the longest period of daylight.
So what exactly is a Solstice? According to Wikipedia : “A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year, when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is most inclined toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun’s apparent position in the sky to reach its northernmost or southernmost extreme.”
Across the world, different cultures worship and celebrate the period around the Summer Solstice since it is considered to be a symbol of fertility, new life and a time for rituals.
The first day of summer 2010 kicks off today at 7:28 a.m. ET on June 21, 2010.