The summer solstice is coming soon, marking the astronomical start to summer weeks after the meteorological beginning of the season.
So, when does summer really 2026 start? What time is the summer solstice? Here’s what to know about the longest day of the year.
What is the exact time of summer solstice 2026? When is the longest day of the year?
The 2026 summer solstice (also known as the start of astronomical summer) will take place on Sunday, June 21, at 4:24 a.m. ET, according to Old Farmer’s Almanac. That’s the day the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun the most.
The summer solstice is the longest day of the year, when the sun is at its highest point in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere. After the summer solstice, the hours of daylight start to decrease.
How many daylight hours will Ohio see on the first day of summer?
The Buckeye State will see around 15 hours of daylight on the day of the summer solstice.
Columbus will see just over 15 hours of daylight on June 21, according to the United States Naval Observatory. Akron, Canton, Cincinnati and Columbus will all see sunrise at 5:03 a.m. and sunset at 8:04 p.m. on the first day of summer.
How is meteorological summer different from astronomical summer?
According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, astronomical seasons are defined by the Earth’s orbiting position in relation to the sun. Meteorological seasons are dictated by the Earth’s temperatures.
The Earth’s tilt and “the sun’s alignment over the equator” shape the equinoxes and solstices. The Earth is tilted approximately 23.5 degrees on its axis. Because of this tilt, there are times when part of our planet leans toward the sun, and other times when another part of the planet faces away, according to NCEI.
The Earth’s elliptical orbit brings our planet closer or farther to the sun, depending on where the planet is in its 365.24-day cycle. These factors determine when the astronomical seasons fall, and each season varies in length from 89 to 93 days. Because of these variations in length, meteorological seasons were created.
Ohio summer solstice events
Want to attend a special summer solstice event? Ohio has a few you can check out:
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: When does summer start? What’s the longest day of the year? Solstice timing
Reporting by Mariyam Muhammad, USA TODAY NETWORK / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mariyam Muhammad, USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Network
