Sun Reaches Highest Point as Summer Begins Astronomically on Sunday

Astronomical summer will begin on Sunday, 21 June 2026, across Arab countries and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, with the summer solstice taking place at 11:24 a.m. Makkah time, or 08:24 a.m. GMT.

At that moment, the sun will be directly overhead above the Tropic of Cancer, located at 23.5 degrees north latitude, marking the official astronomical start of summer. The season will last 93 days this year.

The Jeddah Astronomical Society said in a report that the sun will rise on Sunday from its farthest point in the north-east and set at its farthest point in the north-west. Shadows at noon will also be the shortest of the year in areas north of the equator.

The apparent path of the sun will reach its highest point in the sky, especially in areas close to the Tropic of Cancer.

The summer solstice occurs when the sun appears to reach its northernmost point in the sky. This happens because Earth’s axis is tilted by about 23.5 degrees, causing the Northern Hemisphere to lean towards the sun.

As a result, countries in the Northern Hemisphere experience the longest day and shortest night of the year, while the opposite occurs in the Southern Hemisphere.

The summer solstice does not fall on the same date every year. It usually occurs between 20 and 22 June due to the difference between the calendar year and the tropical year, which lasts about 365.2422 days. Minor astronomical effects linked to the movement of Earth, the moon and the planets also play a role, while leap years help adjust the calendar difference.