2012 Summer Solstice, the Longest Day of the Year, Welcomed by Thousands at Ancient Stonehenge in England

Today, June 21, known as the Summer Solstice, marks the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. After this day, the amount of daylight will grow shorter each day until the shortest day of the year in December highlighting the Winter Solstice.

The change in the duration of daylight is simply due to the tilt of the earth’s axis relative to its orbit around the sun. In our current position in the orbit, the sun’s rays reach their furthest northern points on the planet.

For many however the day also marks an important annual event and festival to mark the event. At the ancient druid monument of Stonehenge in England, thousands gather during the Summer Solstice to mark and celebrate the day in the pagan way of their potential ancestors who are believed to have built Stonehenge thousands of years ago.

This year, the weather made for a wet event as some 14,500 people endured heavy rain in the pre-dawn hours waiting to welcome and celebrate the arrival of the Sun on this special day.