Summer Solstice -longest day of the year

Members of Anglesey’s Druid Order celebrated the rising of the sun this morning in a ceremony to mark the Summer Solstice at Bryn Celli Ddu, Llanddaniel.

The Druid order perform a ritual which honours the power of the sun and its life-giving force of the sun.

The Summer Solstice is the point on the horizon where the sun appears to rise and set, stops and reverses direction after this day.

On the solstice, the sun is visible in the sky for a longer period of time, in fact today is the longest day by around four seconds, from the 22nd June days will get shorter.

While the June solstice marks the first day of astronomical summer, it’s more common to use meteorological definitions of seasons, in which case Summer started on June 1 making the solstice midsummer.

Over the centuries, the June solstice has inspired countless festivals, midsummer celebrations and religious holidays.

One of the world’s oldest evidence of the Summer Solstice’s importance in culture is Stonehenge in England, a megalithic structure which clearly marks the moment of the June Solstice.

Thousands of people descend on Stonehenge to mark this year’s summer solstice (Pictures: @Andy_J_Matt) pic.twitter.com/UoEZrqIe7W

— Press Association (@PA) June 21, 2015

In the Southern Hemisphere, where the June solstice is known as the shortest day of the year, it marks the first day of astronomical winter, but the middle of winter in meteorological terms.