If you’ve enjoyed these bright, sun-filled evenings for an
outdoor barbecue or a neighborhood stroll, the summer solstice
tonight marks the culmination of our long-lasting daylight. At
7:09 p.m. (EDT) today, the sun will shine directly overhead at
the Tropic of Cancer while the North Pole reaches its maximum
tilt towards the sun. For the Northern Hemisphere, this marks
the official start of summer and the longest day of the year. On
the summer solstice in Washington, D.C., the sun rises in the
northeastern sky at 5:43 a.m. and remains above the horizon for
nearly 15 hours before setting to the northwest at 8:37 p.m.
With morning civil twilight beginning at 5:11 a.m. and evening
twilight stretching until 9:09 p.m., we get nearly 16 hours of
daylight to enjoy. On the longest day of the year the sun also
reaches its highest point in the sky at solar noon (1:10 p.m. in
D.C.) so remember to use plenty of sunscreen when outdoors.
Relationship between latitude, sun angle, and day length Since
day length depends on l