Summer solstice

The ancient ritual meaning of Stonehenge is still a mystery, but researchers are one step closer to understanding how the famous stone circle was created.

Today marks the commencement of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere with the summer solstice, a significant event in Earth's annual orbit around the Sun. According to reports from USA Today, this year's solstice is noteworthy as it is the earliest occurrence in 228 years.

The astronomical summer begins in Bulgaria at 5:57 p.m. today, when it is also the summer solstice, according to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH).

June 21, or Summer Solstice, is the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere and marks the start of the summer in Greece.

Across the country the day will average 14 hours and 48 minutes.

In Athens the sun will rise at 6.02 a.m. and set just after 8.50 p.m.

The sun was long overdue on June 21 but when it finally appeared, faces lit up and arms rose as one to greet the summer solstice at Britain's most famous prehistoric monument.

The sun was scheduled to come up on the longest day of the year at 4:49 am (3:49 GMT) but was shy in a sky as hazy as the minds of many of the midsummer revelers who spent the night at the sacred site.

The astronomical summer comes on June 21 at 12:13 p.m. Bulgarian time. This year the beginning of summer will bring us a lot of sun and high temperatures.

The good weather will continue during the week, with short-term precipitation and thunderstorms in the afternoon after June 22. But rainfall and thunderstorms are common this year in late spring and early summer.

On Friday, at 18:54, the astronomical summer will take place. The Summer Solstice marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere around June 21 and around 22 December for the Southern Hemisphere.

Spring in the form of the vernal equinox is scheduled to start in the Northern Hemisphere on Monday at 12:28 p.m, said the Chief assistant Vladimir Bozhilov from the Physics Faculty of Sofia University ,,St. Kliment Ohridski'', announced from BNR.

In ancient Greece