June 21, 2022 – Summer Solstice

Happy first day of summer! Today is the summer solstice, when the sun is at its highest position in the sky and we have the longest period of daylight. In the Arctic and Antarctic circles, there is continuous daylight around the summer solstice. In Alaska, the city of Fairbanks plays a Midnight Sun baseball game each year around the solstice. It starts at 10:30 p.m. and is played until after midnight, without any artificial light whatsoever!
Cultures all over the world have been celebrating the summer solstice for hundreds of years. In Ancient Egypt, it actually coincided with the start of their new year. In Sweden, midsummer is a huge deal, with the country closing down as much as it does during Christmas. Midsummer celebrations typically include dancing around a Maypole as well as decorating with greenery to bring good fortune and health to people and livestock.
Each year on the summer solstice, thousands of people gather at Stonehenge to celebrate. It’s believed that it was the site of ancient druid celebrations because of the way the sun lines up with the stones. This year, more than 6,000 people watched the sunrise at Stonehenge. This was the first year it was open to the public since the pandemic.
Learn more here.