--- title: Summer Solstice: The Start of Summer | TIME description: Summer solstice is the annual event where the sun is at its highest point in the sky and the daylight seems neverending in the Northern Hemisphere. But it’s also a time for celebration for many cultures across the world. canonical: https://time.com/video/4QJbAXP9/ og:title: Summer Solstice: The Start of Summer og:description: Summer solstice is the annual event where the sun is at its highest point in the sky and the daylight seems neverending in the Northern Hemisphere. But it’s also a time for celebration for many cultures across the world. og:url: https://time.com/video/4QJbAXP9/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/4QJbAXP9/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Summer Solstice: The Start of Summer twitter:description: Summer solstice is the annual event where the sun is at its highest point in the sky and the daylight seems neverending in the Northern Hemisphere. But it’s also a time for celebration for many cultures across the world. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/4QJbAXP9/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Summer Solstice: The Start of Summer > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Subscription: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923, reporting on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Summer Solstice: The Start of Summer [Watch (HLS stream): Summer Solstice: The Start of Summer](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/4QJbAXP9.m3u8) (2:04)  _Published 2014-06-20. Summer solstice is the annual event where the sun is at its highest point in the sky and the daylight seems neverending in the Northern Hemisphere. But it’s also a time for celebration for many cultures across the world._ --- Jul 27, 2023 4:52 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Fascinating Facts About the Summer Solstice](/video/S98XGReQ/) ### Fascinating Facts About the Summer Solstice [What to Know About the Winter Solstice](/video/uIesH2ey/) ### What to Know About the Winter Solstice [Is the Summer Solstice Making You Happier?](/video/rl1DI5wC/) ### Is the Summer Solstice Making You Happier? --- ## Transcript Earthlings in the Northern Hemisphere, are you hot enough yet? Well, it's only fair that we settle into a good Rotisserie after some polar vortices made things miserable, on the colder end of the year. We'll soon welcome the longest and possibly, on of the hottest days of the year, know as the- Summer Solstice. [ CROSSTALK ] Summer solstice. Thank you [ UNKNOWN ]. [ CROSSTALK ] Summer Solstice. No, Summer Solstice. Right, the Summer Solstice. So, besides it being opposite the winter solstice. How do we explain this annual event. So we are already in meteorological summer. We'll be in astronomical summer, and it's just gonna be hot. And the stars are going to align. That second part depends on what you do during the Summer Solstice. We'll just, stick to the facts. To understand the summer solstice you gotta understand the Earth's tilt. It might not feel like it, but the Earth is skewed at a 23. 5 degree angle. It's also, spinning while spinning, but that's for another day. The overhead sun, is over the Tropic of Cancer. On this day, the length of daytime of the Northern Hemisphere. Is the longest in the year. As the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration points out, the name itself, speaks of the length of day. The word solstice comes from the Latin solstitium or sol, the sun, plus stit or stes which means standing. Basically it feels like the sun is standing still. Since most places in the Northern Hemisphere could expect somewhere around 16 hours of daylight on the Summer Solstice. It's a good time to soak up some rays. But the annual event also coincides with many formal traditions. In Scandinavia for example, they celebrate Midsummer, a historically pagan celebration in which people feast and dance around a maypole. They also drink, and sing, at the same time. We recommend two beers per nube. This would improve both your singing. [ MUSIC ] And your Swedish. In some Christian traditions, people celebrate the nativity of St. John the Baptist through feast and bonfires. If you're confused on what to do for Summer Solstice, just eat, or take a picture of the Sun. You'll have plenty of time for both. It begins Saturday, June 21st, at 6: 51 AM. Eastern Daylight Time. Thanks for watching, I ` m Christian Brian. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Summer Solstice: The Start of Summer","description":"Summer solstice is the annual event where the sun is at its highest point in the sky and the daylight seems neverending in the Northern Hemisphere. 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