Longest day on June 22

The longest day of the year literally will be on Monday, June 22.

According to the weather bureau, this is the day when the summer solstice begins, resulting in the longest daytime hours for countries above the equator like the Philippines.

A solstice (from the Latin solstitium meaning “sun stands still”) happens when the sun’s zenith reaches its furthest point from the equator.

During the beginning of the summer solstice, the northern hemisphere (the half of the Earth north of the equator) will have its maximum exposure to the sun.

The summer solstice marks the start of longer days and shorter nights, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

“Philippine nights are at their shortest and daytimes are at their longest around the summer solstice, which falls on June 22 at 12:38 a.m. (Philippine Standard Time),” said the Pagasa bulletin.

Solstices are opposite on either side of the equator, so the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere is the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere and vice versa.

The day of the solstice is either the longest day of the year (in summer) or the shortest day of the year (in winter) for any place outside of the tropics.

On the same day, June 22, countries in the southern hemisphere experience the winter solstice when the night is at its longest for the year.–Dona Z. Pazzibugan