Solstices and equinoxes

Katrin Raynor explains how we get our seasons from Earth's orbit around the Sun

- Katrin Raynor

For thousands of years, our ancient ancestors tracked the path of the Sun across the sky, watching it rise and set at different positions throughout the year and constructing monuments such as the prehistoric stone circle Stonehenge in Wiltshire to keep track of its movement. June is a key month in the Sun's path and also at Stonehenge, where thousands visit to mark the summer solstice - the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

The word 'solstice' comes to us from Latin, 'sol' meaning Sun and 'sistere' to stand still. But why does the Sun appear to stand still? And what does it signify in the astronomical calendar? Join me on a short journey as we follow Earth's orbit of our nearest star and learn why we experience seasons and variations in sunlight throughout the year.