JUNE 15-21, 2020
June Solstice in Saratoga Springs, Utah, USA is on
Saturday, June 20, 2020 at 3:43 P.M. MDT
Sunrise: | Sunset: |
| Saratoga Springs, Utah, U.S.A. |
The Old Farmer's Almanac says:
Earth's position in space at June Solstice.
In 2020, the June solstice
is Saturday, June 20, at 5:44 P.M. EDT. [Another source said 5:43p.m.] This date marks
the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring when
Earth arrives at the point in its orbit where the North Pole is at its maximum
tilt (about 23.5 degrees) toward the Sun, resulting in the longest day and
shortest night of the calendar year. (By longest “day,” we mean the longest
period of sunlight.) At the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives
sunlight at the most direct angle of the year.
|
SUMMER SOLSTICE DATES
AND TIMES |
|
|
Year |
Summer
Solstice (Northern Hemisphere) |
|
2020 |
Saturday, June 20 at 5:44 P.M. EDT |
|
2021 |
Sunday,
June 20 at 11:32 P.M. EDT |
|
2022 |
Tuesday, June 21 at 5:14 A.M. EDT |
|
2023 |
Wednesday,
June 21 at 10:58 A.M. EDT |
Note: In
the Southern Hemisphere, the June solstice marks the beginning of winter.
CELEBRATE THE START OF SUMMER
WITH AN ECLIPSE
An annular solar eclipse will
occur on the weekend of the solstice, beginning just before midnight
(Eastern Time) on Saturday, June 20, and reaching its maximum point at
2:40 AM EDT on the 21st. Annular eclipses are very similar to
total solar eclipses, but instead of covering the Sun completely, the Moon only
covers most of the Sun, leaving a thin, shining ring—called an
“annulus” or “ring of fire”—around the Moon’s dark shape.
This
eclipse will NOT be visible from North America, but can
be viewed from parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. If you’re not in
one of those areas, don’t worry! You can watch the eclipse live on YouTube
starting at 1:00 AM EDT on Sunday, June 21, here: Annular Solar Eclipse
Livestream
WHAT IS THE SUMMER SOLSTICE?
In the
Northern Hemisphere, the June solstice (aka summer
solstice) occurs when the Sun reaches its highest and
northernmost points in the sky. It marks the start of summer in the
northern half of the globe. (In contrast, the June solstice in the Southern
Hemisphere is when the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky, marking the start
of winter.)
The word “solstice” comes from Latin solstitium—from sol (Sun) and stitium (still or stopped), reflecting the fact that on the solstice, the Sun appears to stop “moving” in the sky as it reaches its northern- or southernmost point (declination) for the year, as seen from Earth. [Eileen's note: I had not known this. Interesting to me.]
After the solstice, the Sun appears to reverse course and head back in the opposite direction. The motion referred to here is the apparent path of the Sun when one views its position in the sky at the same time each day, for example at local noon. Over the year, its path forms a sort of flattened figure eight, called an analemma. Of course, the Sun itself is not moving (unless you consider its own orbit around the Milky Way galaxy); instead, this change in position in the sky that we on Earth notice is caused by the tilt of Earth’s axis as it orbits the Sun, as well as Earth’s elliptical, rather than circular, orbit. *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Marci came to help Walt start the day.
Today Riggy brought us some 
cherries and trail mix. Thanks, Riggy.
