June Solstice
Yesterday at 12:39 pm Toronto experienced the June Solstice.
In Canada long days of sunshine are celebrated because winter is so dark and so long. December Solstice has 6 1/2 hours less sunlight than yesterday. The June Solstice occurs when the sun reaches its northernmost point and seems to stand still, which is what Solstice means. The Arctic experiences 24 hours of sunshine on this day.
Although the earliest sunrise typically occurs a few days before the Solstice, and the latest sunset typically occurs a few days after, June Solstice is considered the longest day of the year and the official start of summer for many people. Stonehenge always holds a celebration of June Solstice, attracting 23,000 this year.
My mom finds Solstice depressing because she knows that every day thereafter is going to be shorter. That is true, but we can enjoy sunrise at 5:36 am and sunset at 9:03 pm for the rest of June. By the end of July you'll still be enjoying 6:05 am to 8:42 pm days.
The prospect of ample sunshine for the next couple of months is definitely something to celebrate.
