HOWDY SUMMER-STARS TRACE HERE!

IT S THE JUNE SOLSTICE, THE FIRST DAY OF
SUMMER AND THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR IN

THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE.

SOLSTICE COMES FROM LATIN SOL - SUN AND SISTERE
- TO STAND STILL.

IT APPEARS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THE EARTH WOBBLES
ON OUR AXIS -- CALLED AN AXIAL TILT -- THIS

MEANS THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE TILTS TOWARD
THE SUN IN JUNE, AND AWAY IN DECEMBER.

THE AXIAL TILT IS
WHY WE HAVE SEASONS, AND NOT, LIKE SOME THINK,

BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE FROM EARTH TO THE
SUN.

EARTH S TILT WAS THOUGHT TO BE CAUSED BY
A GREAT IMPACT, PERHAPS BY THEIA -- WHICH

IS THE OBJECT THAT HIT EARTH AND SPUN OFF
TO CREATE THE MOON.

ALL OUR PLANETS HAVE TILTS, SO EACH ONE HAS
A SOLSTICE AND SEASONS, BUT THE FURTHER OUT

YOU ARE, THE LONGER EACH SEASON WILL BE, BY
EARTH RECKONING.

HECK, NEPTUNE S LAST SUMMER SOLSTICE WAS
IN NINETEEN THIRTEEN.

KEEP LOOKIN UP!