"Summer Solstice: The Longest Day of the Year and the Spectacle of Solar Phenomena"

 

summer solstice

The forthcoming June summer solstice, heralding the commencement of the season and boasting the longest span of daylight, is poised to transpire on Wednesday.

Here's the essential information you should grasp:

When does summer officially begin?

The first day of summer in 2023 will be Wednesday, June 21. The first day of summer is also called the summer solstice, and it arrives directly in the Northern Hemisphere at 1058 a.m. EST.1 hour ago

What is the significance of the summer solstice?

observed prominently in the Northern Hemisphere, The June summer solstice symbolizes the official advent of summer and the zenith of daylight throughout the year.

This celestial occurrence materializes when the sun reaches its acme and achieves its northernmost trajectory across the sky, as delineated by the venerable Farmer's Almanac.

It is colloquially referred to as the day with the most protracted period of sunshine or the lengthiest day of the year.

While the solstice does not transpire at a fixed time annually, it generally transpires somewhere between June 20 and 22.

In astronomical terms, it denotes the inaugural day of summer, although meteorological summer technically commenced at the onset of the month.

Contrastingly, the onset of winter shall be marked by the winter solstice on December 21 this year.

Chicago's Adler Planetarium enlightens us, stating, "The Sun's trajectory has been ascending in the firmament every day since the winter solstice, which occurred in Chicago on December 21, 2022. As the Sun's trajectory ascends, daylight hours lengthen. On the summer solstice, the Sun's trajectory halts its ascent. Beyond this point, the Sun's trajectory will gradually descend each day, and daylight hours will gradually diminish. This trend shall persist until December 21, the winter solstice of 2023 in the Northern Hemisphere."

Why is it called a solstice?

According to Adler, the term solstice denotes that the Sun's trajectory—also known as Sol—ceases or stands still in the sky.

Its etymology can be traced back to the Latin word "solstitial," where "sol" signifies the sun and "stitium" conveys a sense of stillness or cessation, as detailed in the Almanac.

Sunrise and sunsets during the summer solstice

While the solstice epitomizes the day with the greatest solar radiance, it does not correspond to the dates of the earliest sunrise or latest sunset.

In Chicago, the earliest sunrise, which typically transpires before the solstice, occurred earlier in June.

Nonetheless, the latest sunset is still impending.

Yet, according to the Almanac, the sun sets at a more gradual pace around the time of a solstice, resulting in a lengthier descent below the horizon.

What else can be anticipated?

With the advent of the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, NASA scientists predict a lively period of solar events, encompassing eclipses and various other phenomena.

Over the course of the following year, not one but two solar eclipses are scheduled to occur, both offering at least partial visibility from the Midwest.

The first eclipse is slated for October 14, 2023. While certain regions in the southwestern United States will experience a total eclipse, the Midwest will be graced with a partial eclipse, with approximately 50% coverage over western Illinois and slightly lesser coverage across parts of the Chicago area.

The pinnacle event, from an astronomical standpoint, is set to transpire on April 8 next year, when a total solar eclipse will grace an extensive swathe of the Midwest. Although Chicago will not witness the spectacle, large portions of

 Indiana, including Indianapolis, will experience the awe-inspiring totality, lasting several minutes during the afternoon hours.

The heliosphere luminary, colloquially referred to as the sun, engages in a rhythmic celestial choreography governed by an 11-year solar cycle, alternatively designated as the solar magnetic activity cycle or the sunspot cycle. This cyclic phenomenon manifests through fluctuations within the sun's intricate magnetic field, ultimately precipitating alterations in solar activity.

The heliosphere's magnetohydrodynamic field undergoes a progressive convoluted and intricate transformation During the heliocentric solar cycle. In due course, the magnetohydrodynamic field attains a critical juncture wherein it experiences a complete reversal of its polarity, Thats why it is called solar magnetic field reversal. This pivotal occurrence designates the halfway point of the solar cycle, subsequent to which the magnetohydrodynamic field commences its gradual amplification in the diametrically opposing orientation.

During these periods, the Northern Lights may become more pronounced and observable in new locations, while radio communications and even electricity grids on Earth could be affected.