The summer solstice for 2011 officially began this afternoon, June 21 at 1:16 p.m. in the Northern Hemisphere, according to The Old Farmer's Almanac.
The word solstice comes from the Latin words for "sun" and "to stop," due to the fact that the Sun appears to stop in the sky. The Sun is directly overhead at its most northern point at "high-noon" on the summer solstice, creating more sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere on this day then any other.
Therefore, today is also the longest day of the year. Afterwards, the days begin to get shorter.
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For you snow bunnies, Winter officially begins, at the same time, for the Southern Hemisphere.
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