a partner church in the WOLDSBURN benefice
CHURCH AT KIRKBURN
THE LONGEST DAY
Trevor Appleton
June 2007
The longest day; the summer solstice, June 21st 2007 (at 1806 UTC)
Solstice comes from the Latin sol meaning sun, and sistit, which means
stands, together it means ‘sun stands still’. For several days before and after each
solstice, the sun appears to stand still in the sky – that is, its noontime elevation does
not seem to change.
At the summer solstice the sun's apparent position in the sky reaches its greatest
distance above the horizon. At the time of summer solstice the sun is directly overhead
at noon at the Tropic of Cancer.
In the Northern Hemisphere the longest day and shortest night of the year occur on
this date, referred to by some as the start of summer. At winter solstice, about
December 22, the sun is overhead at noon at the Tropic of Capricorn; this marks the
beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
On June 21, there are 24 hours of daylight above the Arctic Circle (66.5° north of the
equator) and 24 hours of darkness below the Antarctic Circle (66.5% deg south of the
equator)
Perhaps somewhat surprising is the fact the earth is actually at its furthest from the
sun on July 4th and closest on January 4th.
sun on July 4th and closest on January 4th.
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