Tomorrow is the Summer Solstice — the longest day of the year.
For anyone who loves the night sky, the summer solstice is always a funny one.
It marks the peak of daylight, when the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky and the nights are at their shortest. Beautiful in its own way — but not exactly ideal for astronomy evenings!
This is one of the reasons Witchmark Observatory usually goes a little quieter during the summer months. With the sky staying light so late, proper observing sessions become much harder to run.
But the solstice is also a turning point.
From here, slowly but surely, the nights begin to draw back in. It will not feel like it straight away, but every week brings us a little closer to darker evenings, clearer views, and time back under the stars.
While the observatory waits for darker skies to return, I’ll be focusing on The Starsmith and preparing for a new season of astronomy talks, events, and outreach. I’m excited to say that activities will be starting up again from September, with more details to be announced over the coming weeks.
So tomorrow, enjoy the light. Enjoy the long evening. And know that, from an astronomer’s point of view, the night sky is quietly beginning its return.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support Witchmark Observatory and The Starsmith. I’m looking forward to sharing the universe with you again very soon.
Still here. Still looking up.