December 21, the longest day of the year

New Delhi

Here is what you need to know about Wednesday, December 21, 2016.

Wednesday will mark New Zealand's longest day of the year, the summer solstice. Derived from latin, "solstice" means a standing still of the sun.

The New Zealand winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and generally takes place on 21 June, though it can fall between 20 and 22 June. In the northern hemisphere, this phenomenon is reversed, so Wednesday will be their winter solstice instead.

WHY DOES THE SUMMER SOLSTICE HAPPEN?

The summer solstice occurs on the day when the sun reaches its highest point in the New Zealand sky. The earth spins at a tilt of 23.5 degrees, meaning that the amount of sunlight experienced in different parts of the world varies throughout the year. This means that in the southern hemisphere the summer solstice takes place on the day on which the South Pole is most inclined towards the sun.