Forget the cold, dark days of winter. In just over a week, the summer solstice will be here, with the longest day of the year heralding the official start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. The exact moment of the solstice arrives at 1:24 a.m. PT (4:24 a.m. ET) on Sunday, June 21, in the US, marking the point when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted most directly toward the sun.
From extra-long daylight hours to the science behind the season, here are a few fascinating facts about the solstice.
