Quick Answer
| Date (2026) | Saturday 20 June 2026 - summer solstice falls on 20 or 21 June each year |
| What it is | The moment Earth's North Pole reaches its maximum tilt toward the Sun |
| Sunrise in London | Approximately 04:43 BST |
| Sunset in London | Approximately 21:21 BST - over 16 hours 38 minutes of daylight |
| Edinburgh daylight | Approximately 17 hours 36 minutes - significantly longer than London |
| Stonehenge | English Heritage allows public access to the stones at sunrise on solstice |
Last reviewed: 20 June 2026 - Kael Tripton Editorial
What is the summer solstice?
The summer solstice is the moment in the year when Earth's North Pole reaches its maximum tilt of approximately 23.5 degrees toward the Sun. At this point, the Sun reaches its highest position in the sky as seen from the Northern Hemisphere, and the day has the longest period of daylight of the entire year.
In 2026, the summer solstice occurs on Saturday 20 June. The solstice falls on either 20 or 21 June each year, depending on the precise timing relative to the calendar. This variation occurs because Earth's orbit takes approximately 365.25 days, meaning the solstice shifts slightly each year before leap years reset the alignment.
Why does the UK have such long summer days?
The UK's location at relatively high northern latitudes - London sits at around 51 degrees North, Edinburgh at around 56 degrees North - means that the effect of Earth's axial tilt is pronounced. At the solstice, the Sun's path across the sky is long and high, producing very extended periods of daylight.
By contrast, countries near the equator experience roughly equal day and night lengths throughout the year, because the axial tilt has minimal effect at low latitudes. In Finland and Norway, above the Arctic Circle, the solstice produces the "midnight sun" where the Sun does not set at all.
Daylight hours across UK cities on the solstice
| City | Sunrise (approx) | Sunset (approx) | Daylight hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 04:43 BST | 21:21 BST | 16h 38m |
| Birmingham | 04:38 BST | 21:30 BST | 16h 52m |
| Edinburgh | 04:26 BST | 22:02 BST | 17h 36m |
| Belfast | 04:48 BST | 22:04 BST | 17h 16m |
Times are approximate BST (British Summer Time, UTC+1). The Met Office publishes precise sunrise and sunset tables for UK locations.
Stonehenge and the solstice
Stonehenge in Wiltshire is aligned so that the rising Sun on the summer solstice shines directly through the monument's entrance toward the Altar Stone at its centre. English Heritage, which manages the site, typically opens the stones for public access at sunrise on the solstice - one of the few occasions each year when visitors can walk among the standing stones rather than viewing them from the perimeter path.
The monument's solstice alignment is believed to be deliberate, constructed by Neolithic and Bronze Age peoples between approximately 3000 and 1500 BCE. The Royal Astronomical Society notes that Stonehenge represents one of the earliest examples of astronomical architecture in northern Europe.
After the solstice: days begin shortening
The summer solstice is the turning point of the year. From 21 June onward, daylight hours shorten each day in the Northern Hemisphere, though temperatures typically continue to rise for several weeks as land and sea absorb accumulated heat. The autumnal equinox (when day and night are of approximately equal length) falls around 22-23 September.
