In 2023, the longest day of the year falls on Wednesday 21 June – the same date as last year – although it can be any date between 20th and 22nd of the month.
This is known as the summer solstice, and it is a time of great importance for some religions, while for other people, it is simply a day to enjoy the (hopefully) bright summer weather well into the evening.
According to Greenwich Museums, the summer solstice will take place on Wednesday 21 June at 3.58pm.
It says: “While most people consider the summer solstice to be a day, it is in reality an exact moment in time that falls upon that day. This moment comes when whichever hemisphere you’re in is most tilted towards the sun.”
The summer solstice marks the beginning of summer by the astronomical calculation, with the season lasting until the autumnal equinox, which this year lands on Saturday 23 September.
The simpler meteorological definition splits the year into four seasons of three full months apiece, with summer beginning on 1 June and lasting until 31 August.
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