sommersolhverv

Sommersolhverv is the annual astronomical event that marks the Sun’s northernmost position in the sky and the longest day of the year for observers in the Northern Hemisphere. The moment occurs when the Sun’s declination is about +23.44 degrees and the subsolar point lies over the Tropic of Cancer, roughly 23.5 degrees north. In the Gregorian calendar it typically falls on June 20, 21, or 22, with the exact date and time varying by year and time zone.

In practice, sommersolhverv yields the longest daylight day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. At high latitudes, the Sun can remain visible for 24 hours around the solstice (the phenomenon known as the midnight sun). At lower latitudes, daylight is longer than on most days but not continuous.

Culturally, the solstice has been observed in many societies with seasonal celebrations, agricultural rituals, and communal gatherings. In Europe, traditions associated with midsommar or Midsummer are common in parts of Scandinavia and the Baltic region, often involving feasting, music, dancing, and flowers. Similar observances occur in other cultures, reflecting the symbolic importance of light, growth, and the turning of the year.

Sommersolhverv is one of the two solstices, the other being vinter solhverv (winter solstice). Together they mark the extremes of solar altitude and play a prominent role in calendars, folklore, and seasonal practices across temperate regions.