Felly sgrifennodd Gianna :
In western European terms, it is midsummer, not the beginning. In olden times,
this would be celebrated three days later, on "midsummer day" (June 24) in much
the same manner as the Winter solstice (Dec 22) is celebrated three days later,
even in modern times.

And still is, in Scandinavia. Known as Sankt Hans.

wrote:
I've never quite got that though. If astronomical summer is defined as
the lightest season (which, surely, it ought to be, just like climatic
summer is the warmest season) then astronomically, summer should be the
three months centred on June 21st, i.e. May 6th to August 6th.

This is pretty much the traditional Celtic summer. Seasons centred around
the solstices/equinoxes are still observed in Ireland. Wales has pretty much
lost this tradition now, though it survives in the Welsh name for July,
"Gorffennaf", which literally means "End of summer".

http://pages.citenet.net/users/ctmx1...eltic-cal.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_calendar

Adrian
--
Adrian Shaw ais@
Adran Cyfrifiadureg, Prifysgol Cymru, aber.
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Cymru ac.
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ais/weather/ uk

wrote:
June 21st is the first day of summer, as it's a astronomical measure of
time.

I've never quite got that though. If astronomical summer is defined as
the lightest season (which, surely, it ought to be,

The astronomical events of solstice (longest/shortest day) and equinox
occur at very well defined times. NOAA has tabulated them for the next
couple of decades.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ind/seasons.txt

just like climatic
summer is the warmest season) then astronomically, summer should be the
three months centred on June 21st, i.e. May 6th to August 6th.

Thermal inertia of the Earth means that the seasons lag behind the
solar position. In much the same way that the hottest part of a sunny
day is usually some time after midday.

A combination of day length, temperature, and relative probability of
sun vs gloomy overcast would be something like this:

Summer: June 1 - September 20
Autumn: September 21-November 20
Winter: November 20-February 28
Spring: March 1 - May 31

Graphs for Vancouver and various US cities are online:
http://addictedtor.free.fr/graphique....php?graph=140
http://www.cityrating.com/citytemper...sp?City=Denver
http://www.cityrating.com/citytemper...sp?City=Boston

To show the difference between a land locked continental and coastal
climate.
or

http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7l.html

Regards,
Martin Brown

"Surfer!" wrote in message
...
In message , Graham Jones
writes
What does midsummer actually mean?

The day with the most hours of light.


But that isn't the 24th June.

Adam Lea wrote:
"Surfer!" wrote in message
...

In message , Graham Jones
writes

What does midsummer actually mean?


The day with the most hours of light.



But that isn't the 24th June.



It used to be when midsummers day was given its name, thousands of years
ago.

Joe