June 21, 2014, is the Summer Solstice. The day and the night will balance perfectly on this date. Have a happy day everyone!!!

In ancient times, solstices and equinoxes were important in guiding people to develop and maintain calendars, as well as helping them to grow crops. It was important for many people, especially those who spent a considerable amount of time outdoors, to understand the seasons and weather, which played a key role in their lives. Over the centuries, the June solstice was a time when festivals, celebrations a...estivities were celebrated.

A solstice occurs when the sun's zenith is at its furthest point from the equator. During the June solstice it reaches its northernmost point and the Earth’s North Pole tilts directly towards the sun, at about 23.5 degrees. It is also known as the northern solstice because it occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere. If the Earth's rotation was at right angles to the plane of its orbit around the sun, there would be no solstice days and no seasons.

The June solstice day has the longest hours of daylight for those living north of the equator. Those living or travelling to the north of the Arctic Circle are able to see the “midnight sun”, where the sun remains visible throughout the night, while those living or travelling south of the Antarctic Circle will not see sun during this time of the year. For those living near the equator, the sun does not shift up and down in the sky as much compared with other geographical locations away from the equator during this time of the year. This means that the length of day temperature does not vary as much.

The June solstice marks the first day of the summer season in the northern hemisphere. The word solstice is from the Latin word “solstitium”, meaning “sun-stopping”, because the point at which the sun appears to rise and set stops and reverses direction after this day. On this day, the sun does not rise precisely in the east, but rises to the north of east and sets to the north of west allowing it to be in the sky for a longer period of time. In the southern hemisphere, the June solstice is known as the shortest day of the year. It is when the sun has reached its furthest point from the equator and marks the first day of winter.

http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/june-solstice.html

I love the summer and after the winter we had here in Michigan, I plan on enjoying every single day of it.

Happy Summer Solstice to you too, XxAxX!

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

I love the summer and after the winter we had here in Michigan, I plan on enjoying every single day of it.

Happy Summer Solstice to you too, XxAxX!

we're blessed. happy day to you dear!!

Dalia11 said:

Happy summer solstice! I am happy that it is summer.

me too!

morningsong said:

The longest day of the year, for us. I've been loving these long days. Ripping and running places. I feel free. Its such a pain getting off work and its already dark. Getting off work the sky is bright and warm feels like a kid getting out of school for the summer. Dredding when full summer hits we had an unusually hot and dry winter its going to feel like hell to pay.

yep, i hear you! i was outside a lot today, then bought some plants for a planting party later this evening

It would've been an amazing day, had I not been hungover AND suffering through the allergy attack of hell.