Overview

• The summer solstice officially begins on June 20 at 10:42 p.m. EDT, marking the start of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
• The Earth’s 23.5-degree axial tilt places the Sun directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, creating the longest day of daylight north of the equator and the shortest south of it.
• Thousands of visitors are expected at ancient sites like Stonehenge and modern Stonehenge replicas in North America to witness the solstice sunrise and sunset.
• The Met Office predicts a UK heatwave with highs up to 34 °C and tropical nights that could make the solstice night the warmest of the year.
• Following the solstice, daylight hours will gradually shorten each day until the winter solstice in December.