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Summer solstice begins today
Summer officially begins with the summer solstice at 5:57 p.m. today.
The earth is tilted so that the North Pole is at its closest point to the sun, says Jim Todd, planetarium manager for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland. As a result there will be more minutes of sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere than at any other time of the year.
Todd provided these summer solstice facts:
The word "solstice" is derived from the Latin sol-stitium, for sun-standing. The summer solstice is the time of the year when the sun stops its northern climb and stands briefly before turning back toward the equator.
On Monday and Tuesday, we will have nearly 17 hours of daylight to enjoy. From March 21 until Sept. 24, there are more hours of daylight than darkness. After Monday, the days will gradually grow shorter until Dec. 20, the winter solstice.
As seen from Portland, the sun will reach its highest northern point in the sky at 68.26 degrees from the horizon on Monday at approximately 1:10 p.m.
The earliest sunrise (5:21 a.m.) of the year occurred last Monday. The longest days occur around the solstice (today), and the latest sunset (9:03 pm PDT) happens on June 28.
The summer solstice produces the shortest sunset and sunrise of the year. The sun will rise from the north-northeast (57 degrees azimuth) and set in the north-northwest (302 degrees azimuth).
At this time of year, the full moon appears low above the southern horizon, as it did last Monday. It will rise from the southeast (128 degrees azimuth).
In ancient times, the beginning of summer was met with much joy. It meant a new beginning; the snow had thawed, the leaves were green, food was easier to find and crops could be planted. The season was so important that hundreds of groups celebrated it with religious festivities.
In ancient Egypt, summer solstice was considered the beginning of the new year. It coincided with the flooding season, when the soil would be fertilized and water would quench the arid Nile Valley.
Several American Indian tribes marked the solstice with rites and celebrations. The Sioux tribe would perform the sun dance in a specially constructed lodge, and the Hopi Indians held ceremonies with masked dancers in brightly colored costumes.
What's probably the biggest celebration of summer solstice today happens at Stonehenge. Every year thousands of New Age followers, who call themselves Druids, gather to dance, play music and watch the sun rise.
The mysterious stone circles southwest of London align with the rising of the sun on the longest day of the year. Some experts say they are part of a huge astronomical calendar.
-- Staff report
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