Home » Summer Solstice Begins in the Northern Hemisphere, Beginning of Astronomical Summer

Summer Solstice Begins in the Northern Hemisphere, Beginning of Astronomical Summer

By  //  June 21, 2021

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Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun

June 20, 2021, marked the summer solstice — the beginning of astronomical summer — in the Northern Hemisphere. (NASA Image)

(NASA) – June 20, 2021, marked the summer solstice — the beginning of astronomical summer — in the Northern Hemisphere.

Earth orbits at an angle, so half the year, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun — this is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

The other half of the year, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, creating winter in the north and summer in the south.

Solstices happen twice per year, at the points in Earth’s orbit where this tilt is most pronounced.

These days are the longest (in the summer hemisphere) and shortest (in the winter hemisphere) of the year, and mark the change of seasons to summer and winter, respectively.