The Sumerians are thought to have formed the first human civilization in world history. They lived in southern Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in the Middle East. Cradle of Civilization. Many historians think that cities and towns were first formed in Sumer around 5000 BC.
At noon, on March 21 and September 23rd are the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. The sun is directly overhead at the equator at these times. On June 22nd is the summer solstice, in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun is at the 23.5 degrees Northern latitude.
The opposite will be happening south of the Equator. The official solstice, when the sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer, will take place at 9:39 a.m. on the West Coast of the U.S. and 12:39 p.m. on the East Coast. But all you really need to think about is how you're going to spend the longest day of the year. Â© 2015 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.