Four Myths About Summer

Happy Summer! The first day of summer, also known as the summer solstice, is the day when the sun rises to its highest point in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere. ABC News reminds us that the summer solstice is a celebration of sun and light, but misconceptions and superstitions abound.  

Myth 1: The seasons change because of the Earth's distance from the sun

Wrong! Since the Earth rotates around the sun in an almost circular orbit, the distance between the sun and the Earth really doesn't change all that much.  So the distance effect isn't the reason for the summer or season change; they change because  in the summer, the Earth is tilted toward the sun, while in the winter, it's tilted away from it.

Myth 2: Summer Solstice is the hottest day of the year          

Just because the sun's rays are hitting the Earth more directly doesn't mean the summer solstice will be the hottest day of the year. After all, it takes time for the Earth to heat up. The summer solstice brings the most light to the Earth, not the greatest heat.

Myth 3: During the solstice you can balance eggs upright on a table

One of the biggest superstitions of the summer solstice concerns eggs. The superstition holds that since the Earth's axis is somehow shifting, on this one day of the year, it's possible to balance an egg upright on a flat surface. Truth is, IF you do it right, you can easily balance eggs upright on a table any day of the year

Myth 4: Druids celebrate summer solstice because they are worshipping the sun

Modern-day Druids are not sun-worshippers. Rather, they celebrate the summer solstice as a way to celebrate light  While ancient Druids believed in the sanctity of the sun and worshipped it, modern Druids appreciate the sun as the Earth's source of light, food, energy and health.