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This Saturday June 21 is the summer solstice, the moment when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky in the northern hemisphere. This solstice begins at 4.42am Spanish peninsular time, according to calculations by the National Astronomical Observatory.

 

From that moment, the astronomical summer will begin, which will last until the autumnal equinox on September 22.

 

 

The term solstice comes from the Latin ‘solstitium’, which literally means ‘sun stands still’. It is the point in the year when the apparent movement of the Sun in the sky appears to stop: it no longer rises or changes course on the horizon. This happens because the tilt of the Earth’s axis reaches its maximum angle to the Sun.

 

On this day, the Sun travels its highest and longest path of the year, which gives rise to the day with the most hours of daylight in Spain and the rest of the northern hemisphere.

 

The exact length of the day varies according to latitude. In Madrid, for example, on June 21, 2025, the sun will rise at 6.44am and set at 9.49pm, giving more than 15 hours of sunlight. In northern parts of the Iberian Peninsula, the day may be even longer.

 

 

This year, the solstice brings an astronomical oddity to parts of eastern Canada. In places like Timmins, Ottawa and Nova Scotia, both Friday June 20 and Saturday 21 will be exactly the same length, to the second! This is because the time coincidence of the solstice – which occurs at 2.42am Coordinated Universal Time – affects differently depending on the time zone and latitude.

 

The exact time of the solstice falls between the two days, and the latitude and longitude of these regions create the perfect balance. However, in the rest of Canada and the northern hemisphere, including Spain, this phenomenon does not occur in Spain.

 

In Spain, Saturday June 21 will clearly be the longest day, and the following day will begin to shorten, even if only by a few seconds.

 

 

The cause of the solstice is the tilt of the Earth’s axis, which remains constant in its orientation as the planet revolves around the Sun. Throughout the year, this tilt causes the northern hemisphere to receive more light in some months (summer) and less in others (winter).

 

During the June solstice, the northern hemisphere is tilted directly towards the Sun, so the sun’s rays strike more vertically and concentrate more energy on a smaller surface area.

 

Knowledge of the solar cycle has been fundamental to human civilisations. Monuments such as Stonehenge in the UK, Karnak in Egypt and Chichen Itza in Mexico are aligned with the solstices and equinoxes.

 

In Europe, one of the most popular examples is Stonehenge itself, where thousands of people gather every June 21 to watch the sunrise perfectly aligned with the Heel Stone. For some, it is a spiritual celebration linked to the cycles of nature.

 

 

In Spain, the Noche de San Juan – celebrated on the night of June 23 and into the early hours of June 24 – is one of the most emblematic festivities associated with the summer solstice, although it does not coincide exactly with it.

 

Of pagan origin, it was Christianised with the figure of Saint John the Baptist, whose feast day comes three days after the solstice.

 

Bonfires, a symbol of purification, light and renewal, are traditionally lit on the beaches in many coastal cities. Alicante, Valencia, Málaga and A Coruña all tend o celebrate with fireworks, a night-time dip in the sea and other rituals. In some places, people jump over flames or write wishes on paper and then burn them for good luck.