The Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere happens on June 21, typically, when the sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer. The Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere happens when the sun is directly above the Tropic of Capricorn.
In This Article...
Does sunlight reach the Tropic of Cancer directly?
The Northern Hemisphere receives the Sun’s greatest direct energy on Earth around the summer solstice, when it shines most directly on the Tropic of Cancer, 23.5 degrees north of the equator.
What time of day is the sun overhead?
After selecting Physical Geography from the pop-up menu,
you can right-click on the map.
Equinox/solstices: Three plots should be displayed (the two equinoxes should
the sun), yet there may only be two if within the
Circumpolar circles
Everyone: today and the equinoxes and solstices
The azimuth to the sun is shown along the spokes in this illustration of a polar plot.
the diagram, and the small circles’ indications of the sun’s altitude.
The sun will be at its maximum altitude, the point closest to the horizon, at noon.
the diagram’s center.
The June Solstice will fall on the curve to the north, while the curve to the south will
be the December solstice, and between the two equinoxes there will
the diagram’s solstices.
Only in locations halfway between the two tropics can the sun be directly overhead.
Only during solstices will it be above in the tropics; in all other regions between
At the equator, it will be above for two days in the tropics.
above at the
double equinoxes
On the equinoxes, the sun will rise in the east and set in the west everywhere on earth.
west.
You can contrast this with the difference in
daytime hours.
sun radiation from space, which influences climate and
Vegetation is dependent on the length of daylight, the sun’s altitude, and
that there are clouds.
The sun never sets and revolves around the earth once during the June Solstice.
transit.
The pattern of the two equinoxes (dark green), with the sun
Everywhere on Earth, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west (true at any latitude).
earth.
- For the December solstice, the sun never rises.
- The sun rises in the northeast (60) at the June solstice (blue).
degrees)and
takes place in the northwest (300 degrees).
At noon, it nearly crosses straight overhead.
(really, it’s approximately 75 degrees),
On this day, the sun would be exactly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer.
The pattern of the two equinoxes (dark green), with the sun
Everywhere on Earth, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
the planet today.
The sun rises in the southeast on December 21st (cyan).
(120 C) and
takes place in the southwest (240 degrees).
It can reach a maximum of
At noon, 30 degrees above the horizon.
ideal moment for
photography.
At midday, the sun is always to the south, which occurs worldwide.
north of the Cancer Tropic.
The sun is always to the north at the June Solstice, and never
Quiets are immediately overhead.
The pattern of the two equinoxes (dark green), with the sun
Everywhere on Earth, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
earth.
At noon, the sun is directly overhead.
The sun is always to the south on the December Solstice, and
never quites get straight above.
Every day of the year, there are 12 hours of daylight at the equator.
Today’s position, which will be between a solstice and an equinox if asked, will be displayed in red.
equinox.
On June 21, where will the Sun be directly overhead?
The Earth’s axis of rotation is 23.5 degrees tilted, which results in the seasons. On or around June 21, when the Sun is directly above at noon local time on the Tropic of Cancer, the summer season officially begins (23.5N latitude). The Summer Solstice is now.
On March 21, where will the sun be directly overhead?
What astronomical characteristics characterize the March Equinox? This episode of the podcast discusses the peculiarities of the Equinox, including the directions of sunrise and sunset, the times the Sun is above and below the horizon, and the spot on Earth where the noontime Sun is seen to be directly overhead. The variations in the sky seen by observers at the North and South poles, as well as at mid-northern and mid-southern latitudes, are also featured. It is suggested that the Equinox be observed as International Unity Day because observers all over the world have similar experiences on this day in terms of the length of the day and night and the direction of dawn and sunset.
Background: Judith Young, Ph.D., has taught astronomy at the University of Massachusetts for 25 years and is a tenured full professor. She has written more than 120 scientific articles, and her research on star formation in galaxies has won her recognition on a global scale. She has been recognized for her teaching and outreach efforts at UMass as well as for her research by the American Astronomical Society and American Physical Society. She has a not-so-secret love: Dr. Young created the first authentic stone circle calendar on a university campus in the history of the globe, inspired by a Sunwheel on Blackfeet Indian territory in Montana. Since 1997, she has spoken to more than 9,000 guests at the Sunwheel, where she organizes solstice and equinox sunrise and sunset meetings every three months. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of the sky with others to make them feel at home in the universe, and she has a dream to encourage the creation of stone circle calendars all over the world.
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is the sponsor for today (NRAO). Visit www.nrao.edu to discover the hidden Universe in radio.
Transcript:
Welcome to everybody.
Dr. Judith Young, also known as Joyous Judy by my daughter, is an astrophysicist and astronomy professor at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst where she has worked for the past 25 years.
I enjoy teaching, and I particularly enjoy encouraging students to see the sky outside.
In order to help with this, I constructed a sizable astronomically aligned stone circle known as a Sunwheel on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with fourteen 8-10 tall stones in a circle 130 across, marking the four cardinal directions as well as the directions in which the Sun rises and sets on the solstices and equinoxes.
At the start of each season, I host meetings at the Sunwheel for sunrise and sunset, and since 1997, I’ve been teaching what I refer to as “Over 9,000 people were gathered around the stone circle, studying Everyday Astronomy.
More than 25,000 people have visited the Sunwheel since it was created in 1997, and my mission is to increase public knowledge and comprehension of the seasons, as well as the solstices and equinoxes.
The first full day of spring is now, March 21, whereas the first full day of fall is now, March 21, in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Equinox instant occurred yesterday at 11:44 Universal Time, or 7:44 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time in the US.
Astronomically speaking, the Sun was precisely centered on the imagined extension of Earth’s equator in space at that time, or on the celestial equator.
Describe the Equinox.
Indeed, that day had a number of unique features for everyone on Earth.
First, only on the Equinox is it true that the Sun rises in the East and sets in the West.
Every other day of the year, the Sun rises to the south or north of its true east position and sets to the south or north of its true west position.
You believed that every day, the sun rose in the east.
Not every day, simply on the Equinox, is due East.
And you thought the sun always set in the west?
Just on the Equinox, not every day.
The greatest conditions for viewing this due East rising and due West setting on the Equinox are those in which there are no hills, trees, or structures on the horizon.
Second, the Sun is up for 12 hours and is down for 12 hours on the Equinox.
This is the original meaning of the term “equinox,” which derives from Latin “similar night
The best way to characterize the situation is as equal Sun up and equal Sun down.
In actuality, this 12-hour cycle of the Sun rising and setting is only seen when there are no hills in the way.
And what’s even more astounding is that everyone on Earth witnesses this on the Equinox.
(Remember that I am excluding the unique cases of what the Equinox seems to be from the North or South Poles for the time being.)
So whether you are in Australia, Ireland, Ecuador, Amherst, Massachusetts (where I am), the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere, or at the equator, you will experience 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness on the Equinox. The Sun will rise due East and set due West.
On the Equinox day, the height of the Sun in the sky at noon is the only variation observed between locations on Earth.
For instance, on the Equinox, the Sun will be directly overhead at local noon in Quito, Ecuador (which is located on the equator of the planet), and you will not cast a shadow.
On the Equinox, the Sun will be directly overhead at local noon for everyone on the equator, casting no shadows.
The noon Equinox Sun is 48 above the southern horizon here in Amherst at latitude 42 North.
The midday Equinox Sun is located 77 above the northern horizon at Cusco, Peru, in latitude 13 South.
Still, the Sun rises in the East and sets in the West, spending 12 hours in each position.
When looking at our globe from orbit, the Equinox stands out from the other days of the year because the Sun illuminates every latitude on Earth.
In other words, light is shining on our planet from North to South Pole.
This is only true on equinoxes when the Sun is over the equator, lighting up every latitude in between as well as the North and South Poles.
The Sun then illuminates each site for half of a 12-hour day as Earth spins, with the other half of the day spent facing away from the Sun (a 12 hour night).
except in Poland.
On the Equinox, viewers at the North and South Pole face a unique situation.
On the day of the March Equinox, the Sun is visible there at the northern and southern ends of the Earth’s hypothetical axis of rotation, slowly spiraling into view as seen from the North Pole in about 24 hours and slowly spiraling out of view as seen from the South Pole in about 24 hours.
Therefore, the March Equinox heralds the start of six months of daylight at the North Pole and six months of darkness at the South Pole.
The beginning of spring, when days lengthen and the Sun rises higher in the sky at noon, coincides with the March Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.
Additionally, the Southern Hemisphere’s March Equinox heralds the start of fall, when days will grow shorter and the Sun will be lower in the sky at midday.
Today, March 21, marks the start of the season when watchers in both hemispheres will see the Sun rising North of East and setting North of West, as it will until another Equinox passes in September.
Podcast ends here:
when the equator’s noontime sun is straight overhead?
Make sure you are able to explain the following season-related summaries:
- The seasons in the northern hemisphere and the southern hemisphere are opposites (e.g. summer for us is winter for them).
- On the first day of spring (vernal equinox) and the first day of fall, the sun is above at noon on the equator (autumnal equinox).
- On the first day of summer, at a location 23.5 degrees north of the equator, the sun is above at midday (called the Tropic of Cancer). The sun is directly overhead at 23.5 degrees south of the equator on the first day of winter (called the Tropic ofCapricorn). The summer solstice and the winter solstice are terms used to refer to the first day of each season. The “longest day” of the year is the summer solstice, whereas the “shortest day” is the winter solstice.
- Seasons are severe where the poles are located; from the autumnal equinox till the vernalequinox, the North Pole is dark (and all areas north of the ArcticCircle). On the other hand, from the vernal equinox until the following autumnal equinox, the sun never sets.
- Not because the earth is nearer the sunthe sun is closest to the earth in Januarybut because it is hotter in the summer. however since summertime sunlight more directly strikes the earth (and at a less effective slant in the winter)
At midday, does the sun usually rise straight above?
At the Equator on equinoxes, at the Tropic of Cancer (latitude 232611.0 N) on the June solstice, and during the Tropic of Capricorn (latitude 232611.0 S) on the December solstice, the Sun is directly overhead at solar noon.
At noon, where is the sun?
Your local meridian, as used by astronomers and celestial navigators, is a hypothetical semicircle that runs from due north to due south over the dome of your sky. When the sun is at its highest point for the day, it crosses that arc at what is known as solar noon, also known as midday, high noon, local noon, or simply noon.
Astronomers might claim that the sun is transiting the upper meridian at that precise moment.
What time does it occur for you every day? You might or might not be surprised to hear that it typically doesn’t occur at noon on your clock.
The sun might be at the zenith (directly overhead), north of zenith, or south of zenith during solar noon. The noontime sun is never at its zenith but is always located in the southern sky in temperate latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere.
The noontime sun is never at its zenith but is always found in the northern sky in temperate latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere.
At solar noon, or when the sun crosses your local meridian, the shadow is the shortest of the day. The noonday shadow always points directly northward north of the Tropic of Cancer.
In general, noon by the sun and noon by the clock rarely coincide. Based on the sun’s highest position during the day, noon is a natural occurrence. The sun’s definition of noon existed long before time zones and clocks were created. It goes without saying that noon by the sun existed before “daylight saving time” or “summer time,” when we pretend that it is one hour later than it actually is.
Consider the fact that, within a single time zone, noon is observed to arrive earlier by the sun at the eastern edge of the zone and later at the western edge. If you frequently travel east or west within your time zone, you could notice.
To determine when the sun will be at noon, you don’t need a clock. At northern temperate latitudes, the day’s shortest shadow at solar noon faces directly north (or due south at southern temperate latitudes).
It is challenging to determine with just the eye when the shadow will be at its smallest length. To find due north (or due south) and our local meridian, however, we can utilize the method of equal altitudes if there is a complete day of sunshine.
This is the procedure. Plant a vertical or plumb stick in the ground. Take note of any morning shadows’ length. Wait till afternoon when the shadow is the same length. Find due north by bisecting this angle (or due south). Go to MySundial online, then scroll down to section 4 for a more thorough explanation. Method of Equal Altitudes
Here’s a quick way to locate your neighborhood lunchtime. Remember to check the solar noon box when visiting Sunrise Sunset Calendars to learn the time for solar noon (the sun on your meridian) in your sky.
Of course, when the sun crosses the meridian at upper transit, it is not the only celestial body to ascend to its highest position for the day. The moon, planets, and stars all follow the same pattern. However, using the sun to locate your meridian is simpler.
Conclusion: When the sun reaches its highest position for the day at solar noon, it is considered to make an upper meridian transit in astronomical parlance (midday).
What month is the equator directly in the path of the sun?
Twice a year, on the equinoxes, the sun is directly overhead at “high-noon” on the equator. Typically, the vernal equinox occurs on March 20 and the autumnal equinox occurs on September 22. The equinoxes are the only times of year where day and night are equal everywhere except at the equator. At the equator, the number of hours of light and dark is constant throughout the year.
The sun is directly above twice a year between the two tropics, which includes the equator. The sun never rises or sets exactly overhead outside of the tropics, regardless of direction.
The Arctic Circle, which surrounds the North Pole, and the Antarctic Circle are two further noteworthy lines of latitude (around the South Pole). As far as the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn are from the equator, these circles are from the poles. On the Summer Solstice, the sun never sets at all at the Arctic Circle. On that one day, as the Earth spins, the sun makes a full circle just above the horizon. On the Winter Solstice, there is no sundown anywhere south of the Antarctic Circle.
The number of days without a sunset (or sunrise) increases as you get closer to the poles, and near the poles, the sun doesn’t set or rise for six months at a time.
On December 21st, where will the sun be directly overhead?
On December 21, the sun’s rays are directly overhead along the Tropic of Capricorn, a line of latitude that runs through Brazil, South Africa, and Australia at a latitude of 23.5 south. We wouldn’t have seasons if the earth’s axis weren’t tilted. All year long, the equator would be directly above by the sun’s rays.
What is the name of June 21st?
Around June 21, when the Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer, the June solstice occurs. Around December 21 is when the December solstice occurs. The Tropic of Capricorn is exactly where the Sun is on this day.