What is a solstice? Here’s when sun sets in Sacramento on the longest day of the year

The sun’s going to stick around in the sky longer than usual on Tuesday, as June 21 marks the first day of the summer season in the northern hemisphere.

Those in California will see the sun set at around 8 p.m., and in Sacramento at around 8:30 p.m. during the summer solstice — the longest day of the year.

The sun in Sacramento rose at 5:41 a.m., meaning the sun will be shining on Tuesday for nearly 15 hours, according to timeanddate.com.

What is a solstice?

A solstice only occurs in June and December, indicating the beginning of summer and winter, respectively. It’s the point where the sun is at its highest or lowest point in the sky for the year.

Ancient astronomers marked the day as one where the sun looked like it stood still, according to the Franklin Institute, a science education center based in Philadelphia, coining the term from the Latin words ‘sol’ for ‘sun’ and ‘sistere’ for ‘to stand still.’

What the June solstice means across the globe

In June, the region in the north of the hemisphere — including Canada, United States and Mexico — is tilted toward the sun and will, therefore, get more sunlight throughout the day.

Countries in the southern hemisphere, such as Australia and New Zealand, will have an opposite experience. Since the southern parts are pointed away from the sun, they’ll see the start of the winter season and shorter days.

What happens in the spring and fall?

In March and September, equinoxes occur when the sun is above the Earth’s equator, making the day and night an equal length. In the northern hemisphere, the March equinox is the start of spring and the September equinox is the start of fall.

This story was originally published June 21, 2022 at 11:08 AM.