The days in the northern hemisphere are the longest during the summer ______.

The days in the northern hemisphere are the longest during the summer ______.

• A. Equinox
• B. Perihelion
• C. Solstice
• D. Aphelion

Answer: (C)

The length of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere is governed by the tilt of the Earth. At the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted closest toward the Sun, so the Sun rises higher in the sky and stays above the horizon longer. That combination gives the longest day of the year, typically around June 21. Equinoxes, by contrast, have the Sun directly above the equator, producing roughly equal day and night. The terms perihelion and aphelion describe when Earth is nearest or farthest from the Sun, which affects overall energy but not the duration of daylight. So the longest days occur at the summer solstice.

The length of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere is governed by the tilt of the Earth. At the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted closest toward the Sun, so the Sun rises higher in the sky and stays above the horizon longer. That combination gives the longest day of the year, typically around June 21. Equinoxes, by contrast, have the Sun directly above the equator, producing roughly equal day and night. The terms perihelion and aphelion describe when Earth is nearest or farthest from the Sun, which affects overall energy but not the duration of daylight. So the longest days occur at the summer solstice.