The Summer Solstice is the first day of astronomical summer, although the more logical metrological summer begins December 1st / June 1st (depending on hemisphere). To add further confusion this time of year is also known as Midsummer, although this is often cited as being on the 24th June.
For most of us the main feature of the Summer Solstice is that it is the day with the longest period of sunlight - or daylight at least! This officially occurs at the moment when the sun reaches a point directly overhead of the Tropic of Cancer (latitude 23.44° north) in the northern hemisphere or over the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern. At this point the respective hemisphere will receive sunlight at the most direct angle for that year.
