Today is the Summer Solstice of 2010! What’s important about the summer solstice? It’s the day of the year when the northern hemisphere of Earth is tilted at it’s maximum extent towards the sun. It also means the longest day of the year for those in the northern hemisphere and the shortest day of the year for those in the southern hemisphere. From this point forward in time the Earth will slowly begin tilting its axis away from the Sun until the northern hemisphere experiences the winter solstice on December 21, 2010. The back and forth tilting of the Earth’s axis is what creates the seasons. Watch the following video for a simple overview of the solstices, equinoxes and seasons below.
To learn more about the sun and earth relationships check out Dr. Jane R. Thorngren’s website.