06/17/2026
The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere arrives June 21 and marks the longest day of the year, with the most daylight hours. It's a good excuse to spend some time outside, whether that's a walk in a local park, an evening bike ride, gardening, stargazing after sunset, or simply sitting in the sun with a book.
A few ideas to make the most of it:
Catch both sunrise and sunset on the same day.
Visit a nearby nature preserve or hiking trail.
Have dinner outdoors and enjoy the extended daylight.
Look for seasonal wildlife, wildflowers, or migrating birds.
Take photos at "golden hour" just before sunset.
If the weather cooperates, spend some time away from screens and enjoy the extra daylight.
Here's to long evenings, warm breezes, and making good use of the year's brightest days.
When is it? In 2026, the solstice moment will fall at 8:25 UTC (3:25 a.m. CDT) on June 21. What is it? At the June solstice, the sun reaches its northernmost point. This point is on the celestial Tropic of Cancer, a parallel around the sky, 23.5 degrees north of the celestial equator. At this solsti...
