What Do You Know About Summer Solstice? Trivia Quiz

In places north of the Arctic Circle, like northern Alaska, the sun doesn't set below the horizon for 24 hours on the solstice. This phenomenon is known as the "midnight sun." During this time, the sun remains visible at midnight, creating a continuous daylight experience. The term "midnight sun" refers to the sun's position in the sky, where it is visible even at midnight due to the tilt of the Earth's axis.

The word "solstice" comes from the Latin word "Solstitium," which means "sun stands still." This refers to the astronomical event when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, resulting in the shortest or longest day of the year. During the solstice, the sun appears to pause in its motion before reversing its direction. This term is used to describe the two points in the year when the sun's apparent position in the sky reaches its extreme and then reverses.

Earth doesn’t move at a constant speed within its elliptical orbit. The time between June Solstice and the September Equinox is 93.6 days; March Equinox to June Solstice is 92.8 days; September Equinox to December Solstice is 89.8 days and the December Solstice to March Equinox is 89.0 days.

Utqiaġvik will not lose any daylight, until after the first sunset later this year.

The farthest north the sun’s rays will hit at a direct (90 degree) angle is the Tropic of Cancer.

According to the Pagan Celtic year, the four "lesser" holidays are Imbolc, Summer Solstice, Vernal equinox, and Yule. Therefore, Imbolc is not one of the "lesser" holidays in the Pagan Celtic year.

As the Northern Hemisphere gains daylight from the December Solstice to June 21, it eventually starts to lose daylight. On June 21, Anchorage, Alaska, will lose a small amount of daylight, specifically 2 seconds. This is because the summer solstice marks the longest day of the year, after which the days gradually start to shorten. The loss of daylight on this day is minimal, but it signifies the beginning of a gradual decrease in daylight hours.

Utqiaġvik, formerly known as Barrow, is located in Alaska and experiences the phenomenon of the midnight sun during the summer months. This means that the sun remains visible for 24 hours a day. However, on August 2, 2017, the sun will finally set in Utqiaġvik after the continuous daylight period, marking the end of the midnight sun and the beginning of the polar night.

The summer solstice marked the beginning of the countdown to the chariot races in ancient Greece. This event was highly anticipated and celebrated, attracting participants and spectators from all over. The chariot races were a significant part of Greek culture and were held in honor of various gods and goddesses. They were known for their fierce competition and were considered a prestigious and important event in ancient Greek society.

The dates vary mainly because of the calendar system, which doesn’t specifically match Earth’s orbit and includes normal years and leap years.