When is the summer solstice? The June solstice will this year occur on Sunday, June 21. It will mark the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest in the Southern Hemisphere. Here's everything you need to know about the summer solstice and the winter solstice in June 2026, including the exact dates and times and when it will occur at Stonehenge in the U.K. — the world’s most famous solstice-aligned monument.
On the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun rises in perfect alignment with the Heel Stone and Altar Stone of Stonehenge's 5000-year-old circle. This alignment shows the ancient builders' understanding of the solar calendar and suggests Stonehenge may have served as a calendar or temple for important dates and events - a tradition that continues to be marked each year. (Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images) (Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)
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June’s solstice will occur at precisely 4:24 a.m. EDT on Sunday, June 21, 2026.
There will be a public gathering at Stonehenge in Wiltshire in the U.K. from the evening of June 20 (sunset at 9:26 p.m. BST) until after sunrise on June 21 (4:52 a.m. BST). It will be live-streamed on YouTube by English Heritage.
The June solstice also marks the halfway point in what’s known as the “Manhattanhenge Effect” in New York City, a period of 44 days.
It’s called the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere because it heralds the beginning of a new season — astronomical summer. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s called the winter solstice because it’s the beginning of astronomical winter.
Solstices occur twice a year, always around June 21 and December 21. They mark the two points of the year when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky as seen from Earth.
New Yorkers gather on 42nd Street near Times Square to see the "Manhattanhenge" solar spectacle on May 28 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images)
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The June solstice is one of four key milestones in Earth’s annual journey around the sun. The others are the December solstice and the equinoxes in March and September. Together, these events help define the astronomical seasons.
The phenomenon is caused by Earth’s 23.5-degree axial tilt relative to the plane of the solar system. Because of this tilt, different parts of the planet receive varying amounts of daylight throughout the year. During the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun, so it receives sunlight for the longest period.
For observers in the Southern Hemisphere, the opposite occurs. The June solstice is known there as the winter solstice and marks the beginning of the astronomical winter season.
At the moment of the June solstice, the sun appears directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, an imaginary line located approximately 23.5 degrees north of the equator. The line passes through regions including Mexico, Egypt and India. The effects are particularly dramatic near the poles. At the North Pole, the sun remains above the horizon and does not set, while at the South Pole, it remains below the horizon and does not rise. These extremes highlight the influence of Earth’s tilt and demonstrate how sunlight is unevenly distributed across the planet throughout the year.
Although the exact instant of the solstice is difficult to notice without astronomical measurements, the sun’s changing path across the sky provides visible clues. Throughout the year, the points where the sun rises and sets shift gradually along the horizon. On the June solstice, the sun rises at its most northeasterly point and sets at its most northwesterly point. Stonehenge is aligned with that most northeasterly sunrise of the year, which is why it hosts one of the world’s most famous solstice celebrations. On the June solstice, the sun also reaches its highest position in the sky at local noon.
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