It is the Summer solsticethe astronomical event that officially marks the beginning of the summer for the northern hemisphere, has taken place: at 04.42 Italian of June 21streports the Italian Astrophils Union (UAI), and corresponds to the longest day of the year, in which the sun remains the maximum number of hours above the horizon.
The sun has in fact risen to the horizon at 05.36 to set at 20.51, giving us 15 hours and 15 minutes of light.
This year, to accompany the summer solstice there is a suggestive conjunction: among the first Alba lights of 22 Juneon the horizon to the east at the center of the Aries constellation, it will be possible to admire the subtle Filnce of moon falling beside to Venus.
The solstice is the moment when the sun, during its apparent motorcycle in the celestial vault, reaches the northernmost position, and then starts its slow descent again. Delays every year of almost 6 hours compared to the previous one e rolling out forgotten every four years in correspondence of the bisestiliintroduced precisely to avoid the progressive divergence of the seasons with the calendar. For this reason, the solstice It can fall on 20 or 21 June.
Also this year the UAI is planning the initiative ‘Welcome Summer! Sun Day‘, a Invitation to organize activities and events throughout Italy. One of the most interesting, as the UAI Paolo Volpini tells the ANSA, will take place in Cloister of the Classense Library of Ravenna: Here the Ravenna Astrofili Rheyta Association has made an appointment to measure the size of the earth following the instructions of the Greek philosopher and astronomer Eratosthene, who carried out the same experiment in the third century AC using only the shadow projected by a sun watch. The measurement will be carried out exactly at 13.13, instant in which the sun is located at the highest point, at the same time as other groups of astrophils, from schools and the library of Alessandria d’Egitto.
Reserved reproduction © Copyright Ansa
Source: Ansa
I am a journalist with over 6 years of experience working in the news industry. I currently work as an author for Global Happenings, and my coverage focuses on Technology news. I have written for various publications, including Reuters, The New York Times and The Guardian.
