SUMMERTIME IS FINALLY HERE!
By JASMIN K. WILLIAMS
June 20, 2008
Summer officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere tonight at 7:59, officially kicking off
our favorite season.
AHHH summertime. We dream of it all year long. We happily ditch the coats, gloves and boots and trade them in for shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops. Summer conjures up visions of days at the beach, picnics in the park, playing outside with friends, long, hot days and warm nights and warm-weather treats like ice cream and hot dogs. But what exactly is the summer solstice?
The word "solstice" is derived from the Latin word, solstitium, which means "sun standing". During the solstice, the sun reaches the peak of its northern climb before descending back toward the equator.
It's all about the Earth's axis. As you know, our planet spins around its axis, which is like a pole going directly through the planet at the North and South poles. The axis is tilted at a 23.5-degree angle. Notice how a globe is always tilted on its pole or axis.
Without this tilt, the sun's rays would be directly overhead all year long. But thanks to this tilt, we have four seasons. For several months of the year, one-half of the Earth receives more sunlight than the other half. Then they switch places.
The axis tilts toward the sun in our hemisphere during the months of June through September, while tilting away during December through March. During the spring and fall seasons, the axis points sideways, so both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres get moderate weather. This is all due to the Earth's axis and the planet's rotation around the sun.
The first full day of summer, June 21, in our Northern Hemisphere, is the longest day of the year. In New York City, the sun will rise at approximately 5:24 a.m. and set at around 8:30 p.m., giving you a little extra outdoor playtime.
No place is the day longer than at the North Pole, with 24 hours of sunlight. The sun is at its highest path through the sky, but July 3 through Aug.11 are called the dog days of summer as they are usually the sultriest or hottest days of the season. The term came from the Romans, who believed that the high temperatures were caused by the dog star, Sirius.
People around the world observe the summer solstice in a variety of ways.
In Germany, the summer solstice is called the Feast of St. John. Activities include rolling flaming wooden wheels, jumping over bonfires, burning bones to drive away evil spirits and wrestling matches. Bonfires are also a big part of the Celtic and Slavic celebrations, as it is believed that the bonfires helped to increase the sun's energy.
One of the most enduring summer celebrations came from the Druids, who celebrated the day as the wedding of Heaven and Earth. That idea remains today with the popularity of June weddings, considered to be a lucky time to get hitched.
In ancient Sweden, a tree is set up and decorated in each town. Villagers would dance around the tree and women would bathe in the local river.
In ancient Egypt, The summer solstice was considered the beginning of the new year. It occurred at the same time as the flooding season, which fertilized and quenched the Nile Valley.
The Sioux natives celebrated by performing a sundance, which included a ritual cleansing in special lodges. The Hopi celebrated with masked dancers representing the spirits of rain and fertility.
The biggest celebration in the world remains the one in England, at Stonehenge. Thousands still gather to welcome the sunrise of the summer solstice.
School's almost out for the year, so celebrate the beginning of our favorite season.
Today's lesson fulfills the following standards: ELA 1c, 3c, 3d, 5a; Social Studies 3; Science 3a, 3b, 3c.
USE the Internet or other reference source to learn more about the summer Solstice.
USE a map or globe to locate the places mentioned in today's lesson.
WHAT'S your favorite way to celebrate summer? What do you plan to do with those extra hours of daylight?
Teachers: For more information about the New York Post's Classroom Extra program, contact Customer Service at 1-800-552-7678. Today's lesson can be found in Classroom Extra at nypost.com.
