Happy Summer Solstice!

Saturday, June 20 at 5:44 p.m. EDT (21:44 UT), marks the first day of summer in the northern hemisphere. This is when the Sun reaches a point on the ecliptic farthest north of the celestial equator. This is called the summer solstice. It signals the day of the year in the northern hemisphere with the largest number of daylight hours and the fewest daylight hours in the southern hemisphere. During Solstices the tilt of the axis of the Earth (with respect to the Sun) is 23.5 degrees. It is also on this day when shadows are shortest when viewed under the noontime Sun.

The Sun moves along the plane of the ecliptic during the course of the year. On June 20, 2020, the Sun will reside 23.5 degrees above the celestial equator.

The Sun reaches its solstice point around June 20 or 21 each year. Six months later, around December 20 or 21, the Sun is furthest south of the celestial equator at the winter solstice, the day of the year in the northern hemisphere with the fewest daylight hours and the most daylight hours in the southern hemisphere.

In the northern hemisphere, the angle of the Sun above the southern horizon determines how much heat and light strike each square meter of ground. In the southern hemisphere, the Sun’s angle is measured above the northern horizon. During the summer at middle latitudes, a shaft of sunlight illuminates a nearly circular patch of ground and is most intense at noon. During the winter, the same shaft of sunlight at noon strikes the ground at a steeper angle, spreading the same amount of sunlight over a larger, oval shape. Because the sunlight’s energy is diluted over a larger area, the ground receives less direct heat during the winter than during the summer.

On June 20, the Sun will be in the constellation of Taurus the Bull. So if your birthday falls on the Summer Solstice on June 20/21, your true zodiac sign is Taurus. In ancient times 2000 years ago, the sun resided almost halfway between Gemini and Cancer. On this year’s June solstice, the Sun will be sitting between Gemini and Taurus. But because of a phenomenon called precession, the Earth’s axis wobbles over a period of about 26,000 years. Thus over the course of 2000 years, the Sun’s position has migrated into the Gemini/Taurus region. According to the outdated astrological calendars and the date of your horoscope (pseudoscience) found in the newspapers, the Sun resides in Gemini from May 21 to June 21, but in reality the Sun will be in Taurus the Bull. As such, your true zodiac sign may not be what you think it is.

Happy Solstice and enjoy the summer! If you’re in the southern hemisphere – Happy first day of winter!