The solar solstice is an annual astronomical phenomenon that occurs twice a year, the first in the summer in the northern hemisphere and called the summer
solstice , and the second in the winter in the southern hemisphere and called the winter solstice ,
and the day of the summer solstice is the longest daytime and the shortest night time in the whole year, and vice versa in the southern hemisphere.
The name
The solar solstice is called in the English language the name Solstice, which is derived from the word Solstitium, Latin which means "the sun still stands," which is the same meaning that was given by the ancient Egyptians who excelled in astronomy, and they called the phenomenon of the summer solstice of the sun "Abi, Heb "A metaphor for the great size of the sun that fills the horizon, so that the disk of the sun appears large and far in the sky, glowing at noon, as they took into account this phenomenon and others in the design of their temples.
Timing of the occurrence
The summer solstice occurs on June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere when the sun is at its highest elevation at noon above the horizon.
It is perpendicular to the Tropic of Cancer, which is 3 latitude and 23 degrees north of the equator.
From June 22, the sun moves slowly southward slowly over the summer until it becomes perpendicular to the equator.
Then it crosses it south until it becomes perpendicular to the Tropic of Capricorn at noon, which is latitude 3 and 23 degrees south on December 21.
And when the sun's rays are perpendicular to the Tropic of Cancer, that is, on June 21, it is said that summer has begun in the northern hemisphere, and thus the beginning of winter is in the southern hemisphere, and when the sun is perpendicular to the Tropic of Capricorn on December 21, it is said that winter It began in the northern hemisphere, and the solstice is summer in the southern hemisphere.
Variation
means the day of the summer solstice for residents of the northern hemisphere of the longest day and the shortest night during the year, while the opposite happens for those living in the southern hemisphere south of the equator, and this day is shorter during the day and longer at night.
The "summer solstice day" in the northern hemisphere is characterized by intense heat due to the perpendicular angle of the incidence of sunlight almost to the regions north of the equator, while the exact opposite prevails in the southern hemisphere, where the winter season begins and the days are shorter and the night is longer. is being.
And when summer begins in the northern hemisphere, the day gets longer as we move from a latitude north of the Tropic of Cancer.
Daylight reaches 24 hours at a latitude of 66.5 degrees, meaning that the residents of that area do not see the night.
North to the North Pole, the day lengthens until it becomes months, and there is no night in the summer.
The situation is reversed during the winter. On a latitude of 66.5 north, the night lasts for 24 hours and the day disappears, and to the north of this line the night lasts for six months.
And the opposite is true for the Southern Hemisphere.
As for the equator, night and day are always equal, regardless of the annual season, and this is why it is called the equator.
At the start of spring (March 23) and autumn (September 23) the sun is perpendicular to the equator.
And from year to year, the summer solstice can happen at different times, on the 20th, 21st, or 22nd of June.
As for the winter solstice - which is the shortest day of the year - it usually occurs on the 20th, 21st, or 22nd of December.
Celebrations
The summer solstice represents a special day for many in the world and is linked to many ancient cultural practices of many peoples, as it was celebrated as a symbol of renewal, fertility and harvest, as festivals and foods for the occasion were held in separate regions of the world.
The pagans celebrate the solstice every year and their ritual celebration is to light a fire in a circle with candles lit around a large central candle in the middle of the ring.
In Stonehenge, Britain, revelers gather to watch the morning sunrise and welcome the arrival of summer.
In Sweden, potatoes and herring are eaten to celebrate the summer solstice.
Fasting: The
phenomenon of the summer solstice casts its shadow over the number of hours of the day, and thus fasting, especially for Muslim communities in the northern part of the globe, as the day reaches more than 20 hours per day in some European countries such as Sweden and Denmark, while it is shortened in other countries such as Argentina, Brazil and Australia, so it is Muslim fasting hours are the least in the world.
According to the system of calculations and geographical maps of the world, the Muslims of Iceland, Sweden and Norway fast for about 20 hours a day, and the Muslims of Belgium and the Netherlands fast for about 18 hours and a half a day.
In Australia, the number of fasting hours is 10 hours a day, more than half an hour in southern African countries, and it reaches 11 hours in Brazil and 13 and a half hours in Mexico.
In the Arctic Circle, there is no sunrise or sunset at this time of the year, because the sun remains above the horizon for 24 hours in a phenomenon called "midnight sun" for a period of six months, and there is also no sunrise or sunset in the Antarctic Circle, but the difference That the sun stays below the horizon for 24 hours for six months.