We tend to think of Memorial Day as the beginning of summer, and that is usually around the time that summer vacation from school does start. But the true beginning of the meteorological summer is June 1, and the “official” start of the astronomical summer is Thursday, June 20 this year, which will also mark the summer solstice. In the northern hemisphere, we’ll experience the most hours of daylight of the year, and then the days will begin to gradually shorten until fall. Here’s a fun fact: the summer solstice isn’t a day, it’s an exact time, and this year, it will occur at 3:51 p.m. central time.
Many cultures over the centuries have observed the summer solstice through festivals, spiritual practices, and other celebratory traditions. Stonehenge is considered a prehistoric monument to the occasion with the stone circle carefully arranged to mark the sun’s movements and the precise moment the summer solstice occurs.
You can even watch a live stream of the summer solstice at Stonehenge on YouTube beginning before sunset British time on June 20 and ending just before sunrise on June 21 (that’s 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. locally on June 20).
In the meantime, Project One wishes all of our Cohort 1 institutions a wonderful summer as we approach our final two milestones. We celebrate your moments in the sun!
