ISLAMABAD: June 21 is the year’s longest day in countries located in the northern hemisphere including Pakistan.
A Pakistan Meteorological Department official said that June 21 is the longest day in the country and are called the summer solstice. The longest day on June 21 marks the peak of summer when the sun comes closest to the northern hemisphere.
Solstice is defined as either of the two times of the year at which the sun is farthest north or south of the equator. The winter solstice falls on December 21 in these countries, he said. On June 21 sunrise was at 04:55 hours and sunset will be at 19:24 hours.
The official said the day-night equation would remain the same for a couple of days in Pakistan and the sun would shine around 14:30 hours but the process of a gradual shift in time like late sunrises and early sunsets would begin in the last week of June.
He said on March 21 and September 22, the day and the night were of equal length, adding that the process was known as equinox. Solstice also means standstill and to astronomical observers the sun stops its apparent movement north in our northern hemisphere’s sky and then begins moving south, he said.
The Summer Solstice falls on June 21 while the Winter Solstice falls on December 22 in these countries, he said. However, he said the longest day on June 22 marked the peak of summer when the sun comes closest to the northern hemisphere, adding that the countries located on the Southern hemisphere will experience the longest day on December 22. The word solstice is derived from the Latin words meaning “the sun” and “to stop”.
