Summer kicks off in the Northern Hemisphere with the summer solstice on Thursday. The Earth spins on a tilt as it revolves around the sun. A summer solstice occurs for Earth's upper half when the Northern Hemisphere is angled most closely toward the sun. The summer solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. On Friday, the first full moon of the summer rises. It's known as the strawberry moon because its timing aligns with the strawberry harvest. Solstices usher in summer and winter. Equinoxes mark the start of spring and autumn.
