Summer Solstice, 2022 – Sunset

Griffith Observatory marks the start of summer in the northern hemisphere with a live online talk (weather permitting) focused on the setting Sun. Observatory staff will discuss how the Sun’s changing path across the sky causes seasonal changes and determines where the Sun sets on the western horizon. Learn more about the seasons here.

Summer begins in Earth’s northern hemisphere at 2:14 a.m., PDT, on June 21. Winter begins in the southern hemisphere at the same time. The June/summer solstice occurs when the Sun reaches its maximum declination (23.5 degrees). This is when the northern hemisphere of Earth is tilted as far toward the Sun as possible during the year.

From the summer solstice until the start of autumn – the autumnal equinox in September – days become shorter and the sunset point moves south along the western horizon. This happens because the Earth’s axis is tilted 23½ degrees to its orbit. June 21 is the longest day of the year.