Début du solstice d’été jeudi dernier – Le Jeune Indépendant

The summer solstice marking the start of summer and coinciding with the longest day of the year occurred Thursday, June 20 around 9:51 p.m., Algerian time, and will last approximately 93 days, indicated Mr. Fehis Djamel, president of the Bouzdjani Scientific Astronomy Association of Médéa and member of the Arab Union of Astronomy and Space (AUASS).

According to the latter, the summer solstice occurs astronomically due to the tilt of the Earth’s rotation axis and its movement in its orbit around the sun because the Earth’s rotation axis around the sun is not vertical, but rather tilted at an angle of 23 degrees and 27 minutes to the ecliptic circle, the north and south halves of the Earth exchange positions to receive the sun’s rays.

“On the day of the summer solstice, the north pole is tilted toward the sun, and the sun apparently reaches its southernmost point in the sky, where its rays fall vertically on the Tropic of Cancer. In all localities north of the equator, the length of the day is more than 12 hours, for example in Algiers it is 14 hours and 43 minutes.

“The Tropic of Cancer is one of the five astronomical lines that cross the Earth, in addition to the Tropic of Capricorn, the equator and the two polar circles. We will also note this day and some of the days following or before it, the absence of shade at midday in the areas cut off by the Tropic of Cancer or close to it, notably the north of the town of Tamanrasset and its neighboring towns like In Guezam and Bordj Badji Mokhtar”.

According to the same source, the Tropic of Cancer, located 23 degrees and 27 minutes to the north, crosses southern Algeria over a distance of approximately 820 km through 3 states, including Djanet, Tamanrasset and Bordj Badji Mokhtar, in over 17 countries worldwide including: Libya, Egypt, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Arab Emirates, Oman, India, China and Mexico.

The summer solstice is an opportunity for members of the Bouzjani Astronomical Society to present, in coordination with the relevant services of Tamanrasset, the event to make it an astronomical and tourist attraction that can help promote astronomy and tourism Saharan, it is said.