# It's the Summer Solstice. Now What Happens? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 22, 2019, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880 "2019-06-22T06:26:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/21 "2019-06-22T19:02:31Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > I used to think the season of Summer began on the solstice. But local weathermen say no. It actually begins (for them at least) on June 1st. > [@Biffster](#): > > Makes more sense really. Why do we call June 21 the beginning of summer when it’s really the midpoint of summer, for example? [Astronomical summer and meteorological summer aren’t the same thing](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/meteorological-versus-astronomical-seasons). (Northern-hemisphere-centric site.) English is like that. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2019, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/22 "2019-06-22T19:10:59Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > Makes more sense really. Why do we call June 21 the beginning of summer when it’s really the midpoint of summer, for example? Because it’s not the midpoint of summer. It’s roughly the time of maximum insolation in the N hemisphere, but peak temperatures are much later because stuff (principally water) takes time to warm up and cool down. > **[Seasonal lag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_lag)** > > Seasonal lag is the phenomenon whereby the date of maximum average air temperature at a geographical location on a planet is delayed until some time after the date of maximum insolation (i.e. the summer solstice). This also applies to the minimum temperature being delayed until some time after the date of minimum insolation. Cultural seasons are often aligned with annual temperature cycles, especially in the agrarian context. Peak agricultural growth often depends on both insolation levels and so... ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/23 "2019-06-22T20:20:03Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Because it’s not the midpoint of summer. It’s roughly the time of maximum insolation in the N hemisphere, but peak temperatures are much later because stuff (principally water) takes time to warm up and cool down. > > [Seasonal lag - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_lag) Well it’s definitely not the start of summer either, going by hours of daylight. If anything, it’s the point at which the days start getting shorter. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2019, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/24 "2019-06-22T21:33:11Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I work in a store owned by observant Jewish people, and on Fridays we have to close two hours before sundown for Shabbos. Yesterday it was 6 p.m. I guess it is better than working for unobservant Jewish people: “Oops, I just noticed, it is after 6:00. We should have closed already!” “What? This is Friday?” ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2019, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/25 "2019-06-22T22:24:42Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > If anything, it’s the point at which the days start getting shorter. Yes, exactly. It’s the day of longest sunlight (in the Northern Hemisphere), after which the days do indeed start getting shorter. And the winter solstice is the day of shortest sunlight, after which the days start getting longer. Reverse the seasons for the southern hemisphere. The days at the midpoint are called equinoxes, because they’re the days on which day and night are of equal length. Solstices are ‘sun standing still’, because daylength changes hardly at all at that point, and very slowly for some time before and after; it’s changing much faster around the equinoxes. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2019, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/26 "2019-06-22T23:50:50Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > If anything, it’s the point at which the days start getting shorter. > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Yes, exactly. So… you guys are saying that after the longest day, there isn’t a longer day? Who would’ve thunk it. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/27 "2019-06-23T03:48:32Z")
Now what happens? Now the Sun begins its long, slow, descent into oblivion, at the end of which we will be back where we started in a slough of cold, fog, darkness, and endless December gloom. Just as every one of us is declining remorselessly toward death and a return to the cold, lifeless earth from whence we came. _That’s_ what happens now. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/28 "2019-06-23T06:09:00Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I work in a store owned by observant Jewish people, and on Fridays we have to close two hours before sundown for Shabbos. Yesterday it was 6 p.m. > > Now the Friday work schedule gets earlier and earlier, to be at 2:00 on the winter solstice. > > ETA: The ancient Celtic pagans, who set up the first solar calendar, put the equinoxes and solstices in the middle of the seasons. So summer (Beltane) ran from May 1st to July 31st. The day of the summer solstice was called Litha. How does that work, from a logistics sense? Most stores have Open/Closed hours posted - what does your store’s door sign say? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/29 "2019-06-23T11:53:11Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Now what happens? Now the Sun begins its long, slow, descent into oblivion, at the end of which we will be back where we started in a slough of cold, fog, darkness, and endless December gloom. Just as every one of us is declining remorselessly toward death and a return to the cold, lifeless earth from whence we came. _That’s_ what happens now. Sigh. That’s pretty much the way I look at things. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/30 "2019-06-23T12:08:01Z")
Sort of depressing. We still have snow at least in the shady areas. Got two inches yesterday. Gonna be a short summer. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/31 "2019-06-23T12:45:03Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Now what happens? Now the Sun begins its long, slow, descent into oblivion, at the end of which we will be back where we started in a slough of cold, fog, darkness, and endless December gloom. Just as every one of us is declining remorselessly toward death and a return to the cold, lifeless earth from whence we came. _That’s_ what happens now. I’ll give you a winter prediction: It’s gonna be cold, it’s gonna be gray, and it’s gonna last you for the rest of your life. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/32 "2019-06-23T13:20:15Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I’ll give you a winter prediction: It’s gonna be cold, it’s gonna be gray, and it’s gonna last you for the rest of your life. Happy Groundhog Day. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/33 "2019-06-23T13:35:44Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > How does that work, from a logistics sense? Most stores have Open/Closed hours posted - what does your store’s door sign say? " Thank you for shopping at B&H Photo. Open every day of the year except Friday afternoons and Saturdays. " 😃 My fondest Summer Solstice memory isn’t connected to rituals at all. I got hired to shoot a commercial for a video game related to a Batman movie. We were shooting in an alley off of…hmm…Houston street maybe? Anyway, by luck the gig was booked for the Solstice night. THE shortest amount of night time in the year. We didn’t roll film until, what, 9pm? Later? And the sky started to have a bit of light pollution well before 5am. We barely covered the shot list ! Not that doing it a few days before or after would have made a real difference, but still. On the night, it was amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/34 "2019-06-23T14:59:30Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Sort of depressing. We still have snow at least in the shady areas. Got two inches yesterday. Gonna be a short summer. Winter is coming. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/35 "2019-06-23T15:22:10Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > ETA: The ancient Celtic pagans, who set up the first solar calendar, put the equinoxes and solstices in the middle of the seasons. So summer (Beltane) ran from May 1st to July 31st. It makes a certain amount of weather-sense. Day before yesterday, the days stopped getting longer and began getting shorter instead. But the days _remain_ long for quite some time, meaning that the earth gets baked in the sun and gains overall heat from one day to the next for quite some time to come, and that in turn means the days keep on getting _hotter_ even while the days get shorter. The blast-furnace days of peak summer heat are still a ways off. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/36 "2019-06-23T16:50:01Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > “Oops, I just noticed, it is after 6:00. We should have closed already!” > “What? This is Friday?” Oh, the stories I have on that subject We close the doors and the aisles 15 minutes before closing, and yet people still think they should be able to come in and shop. We make announcements. I’m willing to do “last cash” (last register with cash in it, taking cash payments) and people still think they should be able to stay forever. > [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > How does that work, from a logistics sense? Most stores have Open/Closed hours posted - what does your store’s door sign say? We change the sign and the telephone message every two weeks, indicating we close fifteen minutes earlier (or later in the spring) than the previous week. Mostly it’s getting people checked out and out of the store. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2019, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/37 "2019-06-24T02:42:21Z")
For hop growers, the summer solstice triggers forming hop cones and ripening. Hops, used to for bittering in beer, and anti septic properties, ideally are pruned back and then let loose to hit their maximum height (between 20-30 feet) on the summer solstice. Let em grow to early, then they peak too soon and don’t have a good yield. Let em grow too late, they don’t reach maximum height. I’m in a primo hop growing latitude, and where I’m at that means let the hops go at about 15 May. Now that my 3 hop plants have grown up the decorative trellis’ in front of my house, it’s time to start producing hop buds and ripen. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2019, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/38 "2019-06-24T06:37:18Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > The days at the midpoint are called equinoxes, because they’re the days on which day and night are of equal length. Nitpick: this is not exactly correct. The equinoxes are when the equator aligns with the sun (it is directly overhead on the equator at noon). Outside the tropics, day and night are _not_ exactly the same length at the equinox: the point at which this happens is called the “equilux”. Where I live, the spring equilux occurs several days before the equinox, the autumn equilux a few days after. This varies by latitude. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/39 "2019-06-24T15:02:41Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > the point at which this happens is called the “equilux”. Not to be confused with the legendary [esquilax](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeaGOaUR3l0): a horse with the head of a rabbit, and the body of a rabbit. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2019, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880/40 "2019-06-24T18:42:24Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > That happened to me when I was with a tour group in Scotland on the Summer Solstice. Woke up at 3:00 am with the sun shining in, convinced I had missed the bus! I figured out that’s why, in all those British movies, the rooms have heavy curtains that the maid opens when she brings in the hero’s morning cup of tea-in-bed. I was staying at a hotel in Brae on Shetland, just above the 60N Parallel, a couple of weeks ago before the Solstice. It was still light out when I went to bed shortly before 11 pm. It was dawn when I woke briefly a little past 2 am. If there was any night in the 3 hours between, I missed it completely. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-the-summer-solstice-now-what-happens/835880.md?page=3)