Today, Tuesday June 21st is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
The origin of the word solstice comes from a combination of Latin words meaning sun and to stand still. During this day, the sun will shine in the sky longer than any other day.
Also referred to as Midsummer, the event marks the time of the year when Earth is closest to the Sun's axis. Every year, the occasion is marked by festivals, gatherings and rituals in the Northern Hemisphere. Down under, the Southern Hemisphere celebrates the winter solstice, or the shortest day of the year.
Today's solstice started at 7:28 a.m. EDT (11:28 UTC), and at 1:16 p.m. EDT, the sun will be the highest it ever gets in the sky. People all over the Northern Hemisphere are taking advantage of the extra daylight with plenty of festivals, parties and traditions.
Here's a look at some of the unique celebrations around the world:
A druid prays for peace during incantations at the summer solstice ceremony at Stonehenge on Salisbury plain in southern England June 21, 2011ReutersA man uses a camera on a rocky crest filled with astronomical markers during the summer solstice at the Kokino megalithic observatory. The 3,800-year-old observatory was discovered in 2001 in the northwestern town of Kumanovo, 70 km (43 miles) north from Skopje, and is ranked as the fourth oldest observatory in the world, according to NASA.ReutersA man celebrates summer solstice at the marker for the summer solstice at the Kokino megalithic observatory June 21, 2011. The 3,800-year-old observatory was discovered in 2001 in the northwestern town of Kumanovo, 70 km (43 miles) north from Skopje, and is ranked as the fourth oldest observatory in the world, according to NASA.ReutersPeople raise their hands at sunrise during a winter solstice ceremony in Tiwanaku, 70 km (43.5 miles) from La Paz, June 21, 2011. The solstice coincides with the Aymara Indian New Year.REUTERSAymara witch doctors attend the sunrise of the winter solstice ceremony in Tiwanaku, 70 km (43.5 miles) from La Paz June 21, 2011. The solstice coincides with the Aymara Indian New Year.REUTERSAymara witch doctors attend the sunrise of the winter solstice ceremony in Tiwanaku, 70 km (43.5 miles) from La Paz June 21, 2011. The solstice coincides with the Aymara Indian New Year.REUTERSChief druid Arthur Pendragon leads incantations during the summer solstice ceremony at Stonehenge on Salisbury plain in southern England June 21, 2011.REUTERS
