A Few Summer Solstice Facts - Why is it Called Solstice? (Stonehenge Sunrise Video)

Today is the first day of Summer. The Summer solstice, which is the first day of summer, is also the longest day of the year. No, it isn't a 26 hour day, its the day of the year that has the most daylight. Here are a couple of interesting facts about the Summer solstice.

Solstice comes from two latin words. Sol, meaning sun, and stice, meaning to stand still.

It is not the solstice across the globe. People in the Southern hemisphere will experience summer solstice in December.

Summer solstice can also be called, Midsummer, St. John's Day, or Litha.

Throughout history, cultures have celebrated the sun in different ways. The Celtics built bonfires to increase the suns energy, the Chinese honored Li, the Chinese goddess of light, the Druids celebrated the day as a "wedding between heaven and earth." This is one of the reasons why people feel that June weddings are lucky.

The biggest celebration today is probably in England, where people gather at Stonehendge to watch the sun rise. Here is a video from last years summer solstice.