By Nathan Ham
Based on the temperatures this week in the High Country, it has certainly felt like summertime already. However, the official summer solstice won’t be until 6:07 a.m. on Thursday morning.
The changing of season is marked by the day that the sun reaches its highest and northernmost point in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere, meaning it is the day of the year with the most daylight as well.
Strangely enough, however, even though it is the longest day of the year, it does not have the earliest sunrise of the year, or the latest sunset of the year. The week prior to the summer solstice always has the earliest sunrise time. The official sunrise time one week ago on June 13 was 6:08 a.m. The official sunrise time for Thursday will be 6:09 a.m. Sunset on Thursday will be at 8:47 p.m.
The latest sunset of the year will be on June 28 when the sun will set at 8:48 p.m. Following that date, sunrise will be later each day and sunset will be earlier each day through the rest of the summer and fall.
The Autumnal Equinox, signaling the start of the fall season, will be on September 22 officially starting at 9:54 p.m. Sunrise on that day will be at 7:14 a.m. while sunset will be at 7:23 p.m.
Even though it may not feel like it right now, winter will be here before you know it. The Winter Solstice will be on Dec. 21 with the sun rising at 7:34 a.m. and the sun setting at 5:15 p.m. making it the shortest day of the year. The winter season will officially begin at 5:22 p.m.
Comparing the two season-changing dates, the Summer Solstice has 4 hours and 56 minutes more daylight than the Winter Solstice.
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