SAN ANTONIO — This is the first day of summer, also known as the summer solstice. That's when the sun reaches it's northernmost point in the sky for the year. And it just happened today at 3:51p.m.
Here are a few facts about the summer solstice you may not know...
Today it is only the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. But in the southern hemisphere, June 20 is actually the shortest day of the year, or the first day of Winter. Earth's changing tilt causes the changing seasons, as light from the sun changes throughout the year across the world.
This year's solstice is the earliest since 1796. During leap years such as this year, solstices and equinoxes occur about 18 hours earlier than the previous year. For non-leap years, the timing moves later, so things do balance out overall.
The summer solstice is not the hottest day of the year. It takes time for the Earth to heat up every summer. So the hottest temperatures lag behind the longest day. That's why late July and August are typically the hottest times here in south Texas.
The summer solstice is a boost for solar energy. More sunlight means more solar power. The longer days are also taken advantage of by solar companies trying to spread the clean source of energy around the world.
If you're wondering who discovered that the longest day of the year was when the sun hit it's highest point in the sky....nobody knows.
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