Summer Solstice 2014: Longest Day Photos That Will Blow Your Mind
The Summer Solstice is almost upon us.
On June 21, the Northern Hemisphere will celebrate the longest day of 2014. Sure, it’s the moment the sun is tilted most toward the top half of the world, but it’s mainly an excuse for celebration — primarily of the pagan variety.
Check out some of wildest photos from previous years in the gallery below.
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A reveller greets the sun as it rises above Stonehenge on the day of the Summer Solstice June 21, 2003 in Wiltshire, England. More than 30,000 people danced as they greeted the sunrise on summer?s longest day at Stonehenge. Scholars believe the ring of 20-ton stones was built between 3,000 and 1,600 BC as a sacred temple.
The moon is seen on a rocky crest filled with astronomical markers at the megalithic observatory of Kokino, soon after sunrise, early on June 21, 2009 — the day of the summer solstice. The ancient astronomic observatory, about 80 kms northeast of Skopje, is more than 4.000 years old. Kokino includes special stone markers used to track the movement of Sun and Moon on the eastern horizon.
A tourist makes a sunrise visit to the temple of Karnak on the day of the winter solstice in Luxor, 510 kilometers (320 miles) south of Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013. Tourism, which accounts for nearly 20 percent of Egypt’s foreign currency revenues, has been hard hit by the past three years of turmoil. Government officials have been campaigning to regain some of the European, American and Asian tourism that was suspended following violence this summer. (AP Photo/Ibrahim Zayed)
EGYPT-TOURISM-LUXOR
The sun rises behind the Temple of Karnak Temple during the alignment of the winter solstice sunrise to the temple in the southern Egyptian city of Luxor on December 21, 2013. The central sector of the site which takes up the largest amount of space, is dedicated to the Egyptian god Amun, who became prominent as the greatest of the gods. AFP PHOTO / KHALED DESOUKI (Photo credit should read KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images)
A Solstice participant makes his way to Stonehenge on December 22, 2006 in Salisbury, England. Hundreds of people attended the Winter Solstice at Stonehenge, the cause for a pagan celebration, held on the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
Participants take part in a mass yoga class to mark the summer solstice on Times Square in New York, June 20, 2012. Thousands of yogis gathered on Times Square to celebrate the longest day of the year during the event which features four free mass yoga session at the heart of Manhattan.
Participants take part in a mass yoga class to mark the summer solstice on Times Square in New York, June 20, 2012. Thousands of yogis gathered on Times Square to celebrate the longest day of the year during the event which features four free mass yoga session at the heart of Manhattan.
People practice yoga in New York’s Times Square, Friday, June 21, 2013. Yoga enthusiast marked the longest day of the year with five free “Mind Over Madness” yoga classes during the 11th annual Solstice in Times Square.
The sun rises from a rocky crest filled with astronomical stone markers at the ancient megalithic observatory of Kokino, soon after sunrise, early morning on June 21, 2012 – the day of the Summer solstice. The ancient astronomic observatory, located about 100 km northeast of Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, dates more than 4.000 years back in time. It is ranked by NASA as the fourth ancient observatory in the world.
A group of people look at the horizon standing on the rocky crest filled with astronomical markers at the megalithic observatory Kokino, soon after sunrise, early morning on June 21, 2012 – the day of the Summer solstice. The ancient astronomic observatory, located about 100 km northeast of Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, dates more than 4.000 years back in time. It is ranked by NASA as the fourth ancient observatory in the world.
Boys shoot flaming arrows during celebrations for Ivan Kupala, the feast of St John the Baptist, a traditional Slavic orthodox holiday celebrating the summer solstice, 270 kilometers south from Minsk in Turov early on July 7, 2010.
Girls jump over a fire during celebrations for Ivan Kupala, the feast of St John the Baptist, a traditional Slavic orthodox holiday celebrating the summer solstice, 270 kilometers south from Minsk in Turov early on July 7, 2010.
A Belarussian in traditional clothing jumps over a fire while celebrating Ivan Kupala Night, a traditional Slavic holiday, marking midsummer, outside the town of Dobrush on June 24, 2010. During the celebration, originating in pagan times, people plait wreaths, jump over fires, and swim.
The silhouette of a musician with the Northumberland dance company ‘Dansformation’ is seen against a wall with an image of trees projected onto it as he performs for visitors at Kielder Observatory on the morning of the Summer Solstice on June 21, 2013 in Kielder, England. The Kielder Observatory is situated in the remote Kielder forest in the heart of Northumberland and is a centre to promote the science of astronomy and physics to the wider public. This Solstice event was held to allow visitors to view the sunrise safely using solar viewing glasses and powerful solar telescopes. Due to heavy cloud cover however the sunrise was not visible this time.
A group of people stand on the rocky crest filled with astronomical markers at the megalithic observatory Kokino, soon after sunrise, early morning on June 21, 2011 – the day of the Summer solstice. The ancient astronomic observatory, located about 100 km northeast of Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, dates more than 4.000 years back in time. It is ranked by the NASA as the fourth ancient observatory in the world.
Elliott, 12, jumps of the Banksy ‘Stonehenge’ installation near to the stone circle at Worthy Farm, Pilton near Glastonbury, on June 20 2007 in Somerset, England. The festival, that was started by dairy farmer Michael Eavis in 1970, has grown into the largest music festival in Europe. This year’s festival is the biggest yet and will have headline acts including The Who, The Artic Monkeys and The Killers.
A man jumps in the air from the top of one of the stones to celebrate the midsummer sun as it rises over the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 21, 2005 on Salisbury Plain, England. Crowds gathered at the ancient stone circle to celebrate the Summer Solstice; the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
A man climbs onto the stones as the sun rises on the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, 21 June, 2005. Stonehenge is probably one of the most recognisable monuments in the world. The 5000 year old monument became a World Heritage Site in 1986 and despite years of research and study the reason behind the construction of Stonehenge remains a mystery.
People watch the midsummer sun as it rises over the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 21, 2005 on Salisbury Plain, England. Crowds gathered at the ancient stone circle to celebrate the Summer Solstice; the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
A bubble floats past as revellers watch as the midsummer sun rises just after dawn over the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 21, 2010 on Salisbury Plain, England. Thousands of revellers gathered at the 5,000 year old stone circle to see the sunrise on the Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
Robyn Smith makes bubbles as she waits for the arrival of the midsummer dawn at the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 20, 2013 near Amesbury, England. Despite cloudy skies, thousands of revellers gathered at the 5,000 year old stone circle in Wiltshire to see the sunrise on the Summer Solstice dawn. The solstice sunrise marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
Bubbles float past as revellers watch as the midsummer sun rises just after dawn over the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 21, 2010 on Salisbury Plain, England. Thousands of revellers gathered at the 5,000 year old stone circle to see the sunrise on the Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
Bubbles float past as revellers watch as the midsummer sun rises just after dawn over the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 21, 2010 on Salisbury Plain, England. Thousands of revellers gathered at the 5,000 year old stone circle to see the sunrise on the Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
A group of people look at the horizon standing on the rocky crest filled with astronomical markers at the megalithic observatory Kokino, soon after sunrise, early morning on June 21, 2012 – the day of the Summer solstice. The ancient astronomic observatory, located about 100 km northeast of Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia, dates more than 4.000 years back in time. It is ranked by NASA as the fourth ancient observatory in the world.
Gleu Sunpooja stands in front of Stonehenge as solstice revellers celebrate the arrival of the midsummer sunrise at the megalithic monument on June 21, 2012 near Salisbury, England. Cloudy skies and a Met Office weather warning for heavy rain meant the numbers of revellers who annually gather at the 5,000 year old stone circle to see the sunrise on the Summer Solstice was down on previous years. The solstice sunrise marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
A reveller greets the sun as it rises above Stonehenge on the day of the Summer Solstice June 21, 2003 in Wiltshire, England. More than 30,000 people danced as they greeted the sunrise on summer’s longest day at Stonehenge. Scholars believe the ring of 20-ton stones was built between 3,000 and 1,600 BC as a sacred temple.
People look at the horizon soon after sunrise on June 21, 2013 from the rocky crest filled with astronomical markers at the megalithic observatory of Kokino during the summer solstice. The ancient astronomic observatory, located about 100 kms northeast of Skopje, dates back to more than 4,000 years ago.
People look at the horizon soon after sunrise on June 21, 2013 from the rocky crest filled with astronomical markers at the megalithic observatory of Kokino during the summer solstice. The ancient astronomic observatory, located about 100 kms northeast of Skopje, dates back to more than 4,000 years ago.
Solstice revellers celebrate the arrival of the midsummer dawn at the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 21, 2012 near Salisbury, England. Cloudy skies and a Met Office weather warning for heavy rain meant the numbers of revellers who annually gather at the 5,000 year old stone circle to see the sunrise on the Summer Solstice was down on previous years. The solstice sunrise marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
Solstice revellers celebrate the arrival of the midsummer sunrise at the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 21, 2012 near Salisbury, England. Cloudy skies and a Met Office weather warning for heavy rain meant the numbers of revellers who annually gather at the 5,000 year old stone circle to see the sunrise on the Summer Solstice was down on previous years. The solstice sunrise marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
People gather around the Ancestor monument as revellers celebrate the arrival of the midsummer dawn at the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 21, 2012 near Salisbury, England. Cloudy skies and a Met Office weather warning for heavy rain meant the numbers of revellers who annually gather at the 5,000 year old stone circle to see the sunrise on the Summer Solstice was down on previous years. The solstice sunrise marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
Revellers celebrate the pagan festival of ‘Summer Solstice’ at Stonehenge in Wiltshire in southern England, on June 21, 2010. The festival, which dates back thousands of years, celebrates the longest day of the year when the sun is at its maximum elevation. Modern druids and people gather at the landmark Stonehenge every year to see the sun rise on the first morning of summer.
The sun rises behind Stonehenge as revellers celebrate the pagan festival of ‘Summer Solstice’ in Wiltshire in southern England, on June 21, 2010. The festival, which dates back thousands of years, celebrates the longest day of the year when the sun is at its maximum elevation. Modern druids and people gather at the landmark Stonehenge every year to see the sun rise on the first morning of summer.
People practice yoga on a rocky crest filled with astronomical markers at the megalithic observatory of Kokino, soon after sunrise, early on June 21, 2009 — the day of the summer solstice. The ancient astronomic observatory, about 80 kms northeast of Skopje, is more than 4.000 years old. Kokino includes special stone markers used to track the movement of Sun and Moon on the eastern horizon.
A picture taken on June 21, 2007 shows the stone circle of Stonehenge at sunrise during the pagan festival, Summer Solstice, in Avebury, Wiltshire. Archeologists have started excavating on Stonehenge on Monday March 31, 2008 hoping to explain the mystery of the alignment of the five thousand years old stones. These latest excavations are the first ones in 44 years and they aim at dating precisely ‘the double circle of blue stones’.
The sun attempts to break through heavy clouds on the summer solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England, 21 June, 2006. Stonehenge, a 5,000-year-old monument, became a World Heritage Site in 1986 and despite years of research and study the reason behind the construction of Stonehenge remains a mystery.
A man stands on one of the stones as he celebrates the midsummer sun as it rises over the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 21, 2005 on Salisbury Plain, England. Crowds gathered at the ancient stone circle to celebrate the Summer Solstice; the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
The midsummer sun rises over the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 21, 2004 in Salisbury Plain, England. Thousands of people gathered at the ancient site to witness the Summer Solstice on the longest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere.
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Summer Solstice 2014: Longest Day Photos That Will Blow Your Mind
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