Flatbush Solstice

 After sunrise, June 21, 2011

 Anticipating the Summer Solstice

Guinevere, contemplating the summer solstice

photos by Tony Napoli

The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, respectively, in the sense that the length of time elapsed between sunrise and sunset on this day is a maximum for the year.

The summer solstice occurs exactly when the Earth's and the moon's axial tilt is most inclined towards the sun, at its maximum of 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also colloquially used like Midsummer to refer to the day on which it occurs. Except in the polar regions (where daylight is continuous for many months), the day on which the summer solstice occurs is the day of the year with the longest period of daylight. The summer solstice occurs in June in the Northern Hemisphere north of the Tropic of Cancer (23°26'N) and in December in the Southern Hemisphere south of the Tropic of Capricorn (23°26'S. The Sun reaches its highest position in the sky on the day of the summer solstice. More here 

Summer solstice on June 21, 2011 is 17:16 UTC (coordinated universal time) which is four hours ahead of daylight savings. So the summer solstice will occur in New York City (including Flatbush) at 3:16 PM (13:16).

2011	June 21, 17:16