The June solstice occurs at 21:44 UTC (3:44 Central time). The North Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its northernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.44 degrees north latitude.
Since prehistory, the summer solstice has been seen as a significant time of year in many cultures, and has been marked by festivals and rituals. Traditionally, in many temperate regions (especially Europe), the summer solstice is seen as the middle of summer and referred to as “midsummer”. Today, however, in some countries and calendars it is seen as the beginning of summer.
This is the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
Irene W. Pennington Planetarium 