ISLAMABAD: Pakistan along with several countries is experiencing the longest day and shortest night of the year as part of the annual summer solstice phenomenon.
Astronomical calculations indicate that countries located in the Northern Hemisphere are witnessing the peak of summer daylight, while nations in the Southern Hemisphere are observing the shortest day and longest night, marking the official onset of winter in those regions.
In Pakistan, daylight duration is recorded between approximately 14 to 15 hours, depending on geographical location. The extended daylight hours are expected to gradually decrease after early July as the sun’s position shifts, leading to shorter days in the coming months.
Astronomers note that the cycle will continue until around September 22, when day and night durations will once again become nearly equal during the autumn equinox.
Experts further highlighted that the longest daylight duration on Earth is being observed in parts of central Alaska in the United States, where sunlight can last for more than 21 hours during this period.
The summer solstice is an annual astronomical event that occurs when one of the Earth’s poles is tilted closest to the sun, resulting in the longest period of daylight for the year in the respective hemisphere.
