Definition of Summer Solstice

The Earth has two types of movements, one of rotation about its own axis and the other of translation around the Sun. These movements are of great importance, since they are the foundation that explains the different processes that affect nature. In fact, the movement of rotation marks the course of the day-night process, which occurs throughout the 24 hours of the day and the translational movement is the cause of the cycle of the seasons and has a duration 365 days, that is, one year.

The fact that the seasons exist lies in the disposition of the axis of rotation of the Earth

If we take as a reference the line of the equator that divides the Earth in its half, we find the equatorial coordinates. At the same time, the line of the poles is perpendicular to the plane of the equator and is the line around which the Earth rotates.

Why does the solstice occur and when

If we take into account the translational terrestrial movement, there is one day a year in which the Sun is in its highest place in the sky and as the movement is constant that day coincides with June 21 in the northern hemisphere, which is known as the solstice of

summer, which serves as a reference for the calendar for the beginning of summer.

The day of the summer solstice is the longest day (with the most hours of daylight) in the Northern Hemisphere. From that day on, the Sun gradually lowers its position and the daytime hours are progressively decreasing. Thus, when December 21 arrives, the reverse effect occurs, that is, the solstice of winter, at which time the Sun is in its lowest position. This process of movement and change of position of the Sun with respect to the Earth is known in astronomy as analema.

June 21 in the Mayan culture

The day on which the summer solstice occurs is not simply a matter of astronomical interest but has cultural implications. A clear example of this is the approach of the Mayan culture. In the Mayan calendar the summer and winter solstices were known.

The summer solstice had important social consequences, as it marked the beginning of the annual cereal harvest (especially the corn). The harvest season was related to a series of religious rituals, in which the priests used to welcome the summer solstice with a ceremony laden with symbolism.

The Mayan culture is not the only one that celebrated the summer solstice, as most pre-Christian cultures also celebrated it. It must be borne in mind that all of them shared an idea: the veneration of the Sun as a divinity. This idea may seem strange to us but, deep down, ancient men knew how to understand in their own way that the Sun is the origin of life on our planet.

Photos: iStock - Silent_GOS / CEFutcher

Themes in Summer Solstice