The summer solstice, the longest day of the year is happening today Sunday. It is the day when there are the most hours of sunlight. The name “Solistice” comes from the Latin and means ‘sun stands still’.
It happens because the sun heading north, stops at the Tropic of Cancer before returning Southwards.
It can fall on different dates depending from year to year, either 20th, 21st or 22nd June. But during the glorious year of 2015, the summer solstice happens today, Sunday, June 21st.
The summer solstice is the day of the year with the most hours of sunlight.
via WashingtonPost
It’s the official begin of summer, so to say.
Summer solstice is not also the year’s hottest day. But it doesn’t matter. We have fairly weather in Greece, so let’s all go to the beach and enjoy lots of hours of daylight.
Moon – Venus – Jupiter converge
However even if you miss solstice at the beach, the night sky has to offer an amazing cosmic show. From June 19th to June 21st, the crescent Moon is playing games with Venus and Jupiter offering stargazers a once in a lifetime experience.
Friday night, Moon, Venus and Jupiter were hanging just there in the night sky in one direct line.
Saturday night, the Moon, the Venus and the Jupiter had formed a perfect isosceles triangle.
Sunday night? I am just wondering…
“Throughout the month of June 2015, the two brightest planets in the night sky, Venus and Jupiter, are converging for a jaw-dropping close encounter on June 30.
The main event occurs on June 30. On that night, Venus and Jupiter will be a jaw-dropping 1/3rd of a degree apart. That’s less than the diameter of a full moon. You’ll be able to hide the pair not just behind the palm of your outstretched hand, but behind your little pinky finger.” (more on earthsky.com)
As I watch the phenomenon from Athens, Greece, I can tell you that it lasts some 3 hours and then it disappears from the sky, when the moon goes down.
The Moon-Venus-Jupiter games can be seen once the sun has set, so around 9:00 -9:15 pm.
Enjoy and forget about miserable negotiations talks and all threats and scaremongering. At least for a couple of hours. 🙂
Love for Astronomy, another thing we have in common. Sometimes I imagine that one good look at mother earth from outer space could heal all the greedy bastards ruining our world from heir egomania.