The summer solstice, the longest day of light in the year for those in the northern hemisphere, is June 21 in the U.S.
The summer solstice occurs when the North Pole reaches its maximum annual tilt toward the sun. As a result, most living within the continental U.S. will be seeing the sun for between 14 and 16 hours overhead while in the arctic
the sun will remain overhead for 24 hours, reported The Washington Post.
Depending on where one lives in relation to the equator determines how long the sun will stay overhead. For example, Seattle residents will have the sun overhead for 15 hours and 59 minutes while
Miami residents will enjoy the sun for just 13 hours and 45 minutes, according to TimeandDate.com.
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The U.S. city with the longest daylight period will be Anchorage, Alaska, at 19 hours and 21 minutes, while Honolulu residents will see the sun for the shortest period at 13 hours and 26 minutes.
The farter one resides from the equator, the closer the sunset and sunrise appear due north until they practically overlap in the northern sky above the arctic which is why the sun never sets in that region.
In addition to being the longest daylight period of the year for those living in the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice is also a traditional pagan holiday.
In Wiltshire, England, more than 20,000 individuals gathered at the Stonehenge monument, which was believed to have been built between 3000 BC to 2000 BC, and many argue was the site where druids – pagan priests, once worshipped.
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According to police, 22 individuals were taken into custody following the annual, all-night party, which
consisted primarily of neo-pagans and New Age-rs, according to CBS News.
Most of the arrests were for
drug-related offenses say police, the Associated Press reports.
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