The longest day always coincides with the summer solstice. In 2024, it falls on June 20, and the length of the day will be 14 hours 16 minutes and 18 seconds. Now astronomers only observe a natural phenomenon, recording the slightest changes - an increase or decrease in daylight hours by fractions of a second, into the astronomical calendar. And once the Slavs celebrated the summer solstice with the feast of Ivan Kupala, or Swimsuit. And everything that happened that night was given a magical meaning.
Solstice dates
Every year on June 20-22, the inhabitants of the earth face an interesting natural phenomenon.The people of the northern hemisphere have the longest day. According to the astronomical calendar, summer begins from this day. Among southerners, scientists fix the statement of the winter period - on one of the dates of the month they have the longest night. Exactly six months later, the picture is already reversed - the shortest daylight hours in the northern hemisphere, and the longest in the southern hemisphere.
On the days of the summer solstice, the sun is at the highest point of the sky, in the tropic of Capricorn, winter - the lowest point, Cancer. Astronomers have already calculated not only what date will be the longest day in 2024 for residents, but also its duration in each region.
How long is the daylight hours
In a leap year, the date of the solstices can come 1 day earlier or later than June 21st. Since 2024 is a leap year, residents of the northern hemisphere will observe the natural phenomenon on June 20. At the farthest point of the orbit in which it rotates, the earth will rise at 20:50:56.
In Brest and near Kaliningrad, daylight hours will be 6 hours 45 minutes, in the central part of the country - 17 hours, in the Leningrad region - 17. 33.
In the northern regions, the longest day stretches throughout the summer. For residents of Murmansk, Norilsk, Vorkuta and other cities at this latitude, it is 190 days. In winter, the polar night sets in for the same time.
Solstice
Already the ancient Slavs noted that on one of the days of the year with the sun, Yarila, whom they worshiped as a deity, something unusual happens. It grows in size, as if trying to burn the Earth, and the daylight hours increase. In order to “appease” the ruler of the sky, they made sacrifices to him, celebrated the summer Solstice - that was the name of the holiday in Ancient Rus'. It was believed that the next life stage began with this event.
On the day of the summer solstice, the wedding of Yarilo and Zarya Zaryanitsa, his mythical wife, was celebrated.They arranged a sacrifice - they built a fire on a mound, roasted a carcass of a ram or a calf on it. It was believed that the higher the hill, the faster the smoke from the sacrificial animal would reach the gods. Outside the village, a “glade” was laid, people ate, drank, like at real weddings, and then the festivities began.
It was believed that the energy of the night that comes after the longest day of the year has magical powers, and if you absorb it, you can cleanse yourself. Fire and water, the main elements, have a magical effect. Therefore, customs appeared, jumping over a fire and dousing with water, or dipping into water.
On the Midsummer solstice the night is short and there is no time to sleep. I had to be in time:
- Clean up.
- Kommersya - forgive your offenders, put up with them, negotiate friendship for life.
- Get rid of negative thoughts.
- Help others - feed the hungry, give alms.
After the baptism of Rus', the priests did not prohibit pagan festivities, but gradually made it so that they merged with Christian ones. For example, the solstice coincided with the day of John the Baptist. It was the Saint who baptized Jesus Christ, so the rituals with pouring water, symbolizing purification, remained unchanged. Now the holiday is called Ivan Kupala. During it, they also jump over bonfires, weave wreaths of wild flowers, and try to absorb natural energy. The wardrobe on the day of the summer solstice is complemented by decorations of solar flowers.
Slavic peoples also celebrated the autumn and spring equinoxes. On this day, as well as during the solstice, one could completely renew oneself and start a new life, forgetting about past failures.
