Community Corner

It's Summer Solstice Time

Celebrate the longest day and shortest night of the year today.

Though there has been a lot of heat and summer-like weather in Santa Cruz County recently, Wednesday is the official start of summer–or Summer Solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year.

The word solstice is derived from the Latin words meaning “sun” and “to stand still.” It will occur at 4:09 p.m. on Wednesday. That is the moment when the sun reaches its farthest point north of the equator and seems to stand still in the sky.

According to Time and Date, there will be approximately 14 hours, 44 minutes and 16 seconds between sunrise (5:47 a.m.) and sunset (8:31 p.m.). 

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People have celebrated the Summer Solstice in many ways for a very long time. LiveScience.com says that ancient pagans used to celebrate it as a day of healing and fertility. According to Chiff.com, the Celts and Slavs celebrated it with dancing and bonfires to help increase the sun’s energy, and the Chinese marked the day by honoring Li, the Chinese Goddess of Light.

Today, cities, towns and cultures around the world celebrate with Midsummer and Maypole festivals, parties and feasts.

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Living along the Central Coast, there are many great ways to ring in the summer–maybe a day at the beach or a hike in the mountains. And the weather will be a high of 82, perfect for enjoying the longest day of the year.


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