The Summer Solstice is the time of year when the Sun's apparent track across the sky reaches its highest point.

In the Northern hemisphere this is usually on June 21st, but can (rarely) be on June 20th. On this day the Sun is directly overhead at midday on the Tropic of Capricorn. This is 23.5 degrees north of the Equator, because the Earth's axis of rotation is tilted at 23.5 degrees from the plane of its orbit.

See also Winter Solstice.

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