After a blisteringly hot few days it will come as no surprise we're fast approaching the Summer Solstice.
The longest day of the year falls on Tuesday, June 21, this year, the same day as in 2021. According to weather forecasters, on that day the sun will rise at 4.27am and set at 9.49pm. This is a huge 17 hours and 22 minutes of sunlight to look forward to, the longest period of daylight and the shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Summer Solstice marks the beginning of summer by the astronomical calculation, with the season lasting until the autumnal equinox, which this year lands on September 23. Just to confuse people, it can also be known as midsummer, because the days begin to get shorter after it has passed.
