Summer Solstice Arrives at 4:24 a.m. EDT Sunday, Longest Day in Northern Hemisphere

M. EDT on Sunday, June 21, 2026. At that instant the sun reaches its highest annual position in the sky and the Northern Hemisphere records its longest day of the year.

Astronomical summer begins in the Northern Hemisphere while astronomical winter begins in the Southern Hemisphere, where June 21 is the shortest day. The event occurs simultaneously worldwide regardless of time zones. On June 21 the sun rises at its most northeasterly point of the year and sets at its most northwesterly point.

It also reaches its highest altitude at local noon. Some communities in Alaska and northern Canada experience nearly 20 hours of daylight. Areas above the Arctic Circle have continuous sunlight. Seattle, Minneapolis and Toronto each record roughly 15 to 16 hours of daylight, while Atlanta, Houston and Miami each have about 14 to 15 hours.

5-degree axial tilt. At the moment of the solstice the sun appears directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer. The summer solstice falls between June 20 and June 22 each year.

The winter solstice falls between December 20 and December 23. The Northern Hemisphere autumnal equinox occurs between September 21 and September 24, and the vernal equinox occurs between March 19 and March 21. ” The summer solstice ends the sun’s annual march higher in the sky; after this date days grow shorter until late December.

People have marked solstices for centuries with festivals and monuments, including Sweden’s midsummer eve celebrations and Stonehenge, which was designed to align with the sun’s paths at the solstices. Events marking the day include parades and museum programs in multiple cities.