What is the summer solstice and when is it: the celebration that marks the beginning of summer is coming

GenevaMany of us await the arrival of summer with candles, an indicator of good weather and the approaching holidays. But humans have been aware of the summer solstice for thousands of years, the moment when this season begins and marked on the calendar as a special date. For this reason, in many cultures, the arrival of summer represents one of the most important festivities of the year, many of which revolve around fire as their main symbol.

But, beyond its social and cultural implications, the solstice, which comes from the Latin only and sister (stay still), marks an important astronomical milestone. This moment represents the point at which the Earth's tilted axis of rotation points in the direction of the Sun. It is because this axis of rotation is tilted by about 23 and a half degrees that the sun's rays fall differently on different areas of the planet's surface throughout the year, giving rise to the seasons. The Latin term refers to the fact that at the summer solstice, the Sun rises from its easternmost point and from then on appears to recede day by day.

June also marks a turning point in the calendar and in the night sky. Winter constellations such as Orion, Taurus, and Gemini gradually give way to summer constellations. Among these, some easily identifiable ones stand out, such as Cygnus, with its characteristic cross shape and its brightest star, Deneb. Although smaller, the constellation Lyra can also be identified high in the sky thanks to its main star, Vega, one of the brightest of the night. Right next to these two constellations is the constellation Aquila, with Altair as its most distinctive star. The three stars of these constellations form a group known as the Summer Triangle, one of the most distinctive features of the night sky at this time of year.

Numerous conjunctions await us

On the other hand, in June, the planets will be spread out between night and dawn. Venus will be very bright in the mornings before the first rays of the sun, and on June 1st, it will reach its greatest western elongation. Jupiter will also be visible during the first half of the month at night, quite close to the Sun.

On the 24th, these two stars will be in conjunction, and from that moment on, Jupiter, the giant of the solar system, will become visible in the mornings. Saturn is still in a difficult position relative to the Sun for easy observation during the early morning hours, although it will gradually move into the night sky. Finally, Uranus will not be visible this month, and Neptune could be seen during the second half of the month with the aid of binoculars or a telescope.

Another of the most interesting astronomical phenomena this month are the numerous conjunctions that will occur between the Moon and the various planets, as they always leave a unique image in the night sky. The Moon and Mars will be in conjunction on June 1 and 30, while our satellite will be in conjunction with Saturn and Neptune on the 19th. Finally, the Moon will also be very close to Venus on June 22. This month we will also have some minor meteor showers, such as the Zeta-Perseids on June 9 and the Botids on the 27th.