{"id":27040,"date":"2023-05-15T10:15:18","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T08:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/?p=7516"},"modified":"2023-05-15T13:35:36","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T11:35:36","slug":"summer-solstice-2023-when-is-the-longest-day-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/summer-solstice-2023-when-is-the-longest-day-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer solstice 2023: when is the longest day of the year?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The longest day of the year, known as the summer solstice, is celebrated throughout the UK every year. Our guide explains when and why the summer solstice occurs and how to livestream the event from Stonehenge. <\/p>

By Carys Matthews\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Monday, 15 May 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

<\/p>\n

The summer solstice can be a magical event to experience, with many people believing it connects us with our ancestors and the land. It is also the day that the Earth\u2019s North pole is tilted closest to the sun, resulting in the longest day of the year in terms of daylight hours for those living in the northern hemisphere.<\/p>\n

On this day the sun also reaches the highest point in the sky, making the shortest day of the year \u2013 known as the winter solstice<\/a>, feel a distant memory.<\/p>\n

From watching the sun rise at Stonehenge to a summit solstice at the peak of Ben Nevis<\/a>, here is our guide on the longest day of the year and inspiration on the best places in the countryside to experience the summer solstice in 2023.<\/p>\n

What is the summer solstice?<\/h2>\n

The term summer solstice is derived\u00a0from Latin and\u00a0means\u00a0\u2018the sun stands still\u2019. The solstice \u2013\u00a0also referred to as Midsummer \u2013 is often thought of as a day-long event, but in fact\u00a0represents a\u00a0single moment in time: when the sun is at northernmost point from the earth\u2019s equator during a single year.<\/p>\n

When is the Summer Solstice in 2023?<\/h2>\n

In the UK in 2023 the summer solstice takes place on Wednesday 21st June at 15:58. In the northern hemisphere, the sun will rise at around 4:44am and set around 9:20pm. While Stonehenge in Salisbury will feel the day\u2019s first rays at 04:52 and bid them farewell at 21:26.<\/p>\n

In daylight hours this is around 8 hours, 50 minutes longer than the December Solstice.<\/p>\n

Despite being the longest day of the year, the summer solstice isn\u2019t actually have the earliest sunrise of the year. Generally, the earliest sunrises of the year occur before the summer solstice.<\/p>\n

\n

Why is the summer solstice the longest day?<\/h2>\n
The summer solstice takes place every year between June 20 and June 22 in the UK, marking the moment the sun reaches its highest elevation in the Northern Hemisphere, providing the UK with the the longest day of the year with sunlight that lasts for almost 17 hours.<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n

More related content:<\/p>\n