The Web for Seniors
In the Northern Hemisphere summers solstice begins on June 21, 2009 at 1:45 A.M. EDT.
In the UK on June 21, 2009 at 5:45 UT. Sorry, people living in the Southern Hemisphere have to wait for December for their summer solstice.
Solstice derives from a combination of Latin words meaning "sun"and "to stand still." As the days lengthen, the sun rises higher and higher until it seems to stand still in the sky.
As a major celestial event, the Summer Solstice results in the longest day and the shortest night of the year.
Early Celebrations:
- Awed by the great power of the sun, civilizations in the northern areas have for centuries celebrated the first day of summer, otherwise known as the Summer Solstice, Midsummer, St. John's Day, or the Wiccan Litha.
- The Celts & Slavs celebrated the first day of summer with dancing & bonfires to help increase the sun's energy. The Chinese marked the day by honoring Li, the Chinese Goddess of Light.
- Perhaps the most enduring modern ties with Summer Solstice were the Druids' celebration of the day as the "wedding of Heaven and Earth", resulting in the present day belief of a "lucky" wedding in June.
Today, the day is still celebrated around the world - most notably in England at Stonehenge and Avebury, where thousands gather to welcome the sunrise on the Summer Solstice.
Pagan spirit gatherings or festivals are also common in June, when groups assemble to light a sacred fire, and stay up all night to welcome the dawn.
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