When is the summer solstice? Here's what happens on the summer solstice
Despite a record-breaking 13 consecutive rainy weekends in Boston, the first day of summer is almost upon us.
The summer solstice, which is also the first astronomical day of summer, is on June 20 this year. It will also be the longest day of the year with over 15 hours of daylight.
However, the longest day of the year is not normally the warmest day of the year. According to timeanddate.com, July is the warmest month in Boston, followed by August. So don't worry about the recent deluge of rain – warmer days are ahead.
The summer solstice this year is on June 20, 2025.
The summer solstice is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year.
This year, June 20 will be 15 hours, 17 minutes, and 4 seconds long, with a sunrise of 5:07 a.m. and a sunset of 8:24 p.m. in Boston, according to data from timeanddate.com.
The summer solstice occurs when the earth's tilt towards the sun is at a maximum, hence the long hours of daylight. It is also when the sun appears at its highest elevation in the sky.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the solstice always occurs between June 20 and 22.
It doesn't land on the same day every year because the calendar year doesn't exactly line up with the astronomical year, or the time it takes Earth to orbit the sun. The astronomical year is 365.25 days long, according to Space.com. So, it shifts between the three days: June 20, 21, and 22.
The summer solstice has long been celebrated by cultures around the world.
In Sweden, the solstice is known as midsummer and is celebrating on or near the solstice with dancing around a Maypole and eating and drinking classic Swedish foods. Other countries like Norway, Denmark and Ireland also celebrate midsummer.
In England, thousands of people gather to watch the solstice sunrise at Stonehenge, which was built to align with the sun on this day.
Other ancient structures are oriented towards the sun too, like the Mayan pyramid Kukulkan at Chichen Itza and Peru's Machu Picchu, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: Summer Solstice 2025: When is it? Why is it 'longest day of the year'?
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