First Day Of Summer – What Is Summer Exactly?

Ask any school kid and they will tell you the first day of Summer is the day after the last day of school.

While in the  mind of kids and grown ups headed for Florida this might seem more realistic there is actually some science involved in Summer. Believe it or not there is more to this season than barbeque grills, bikini tans and steamy nights at the little league park.

You  might not notice it but this whole darn planet is a bit tilted. Not only in our views on world peace and social issues but literally the Earth spins on an axis that isn't exactly straight up and down. Our planet is tilted by roughly 23 degrees.

In scientific terms the first day of Summer, or the Summer Solstice is the day when the sun reaches its highest point above the equator in the Northern Hemisphere. For those of us living in the U.S. that day is today and the exact time that happened was at 12:04 this morning.

Why is hotter during the Summer months? No, we aren't closer to the sun, in fact we are at our furthest point in our oblong shaped orbit. The reason it is warm is the fact that the sun's rays are more directly overhead and the energy is more focused. The daylight hours are also longer in the Northern Hemisphere. In fact the further north  you can really see the difference in the daylight hours.

What do people do to celebrate the first day of Summer? We found some different celebrations and ideas from around the world that you might find interesting. Regardless in South Louisiana Summer means time at the pool, having a long neck in the shade and enjoying the air conditioning too. Have a safe Summer, don't forget your sunscreen and bug spray!