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The Summer Solstice Explained: Science Behind the Longest Day
The event brings 15 hours and 33 minutes of daylight and starts astronomical summer, while peak heat usually arrives weeks later, the National Weather Service said.
- The Sun reaches its highest point in the sky on Sunday, June 21, at 4:25 a.m., marking the Northern Hemisphere's longest day with 15 hours and 33 minutes of daylight.
- Earth's tilt on its axis causes the seasons, while its elliptical orbit around the Sun influences the timing of solar noon throughout the year.
- Although this day sees the most daylight, neither the earliest sunrise on June 15 nor the latest sunset on June 26 occurs during the solstice itself.
- Despite maximum daylight, the National Weather Service reports a lag between the solstice and peak summer temperatures, as ground and water require time to heat up.
- Solstices mark the beginning of astronomical summer in June and December, while Equinoxes occur in March and September when day and night are nearly equal.
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources3
Leaning Left1Leaning Right1Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution34% Left, 33% Center, 33% Right
Bias Distribution
- 34% of the sources lean Left, 33% of the sources are Center, 33% of the sources lean Right
34% Left
L 34%
C 33%
R 33%
Factuality
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