The day of the year with the most sunlight is the summer solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, this occurs around June 20 or 21 each year and marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. This is the day when the Earth's axial tilt is most inclined toward the sun, resulting in the maximum duration of daylight for the year in that hemisphere. For 2025, the summer solstice occurred on June 20 at 10:42 p.m. EDT, with the sun reaching its highest point in the sky at solar noon.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the longest day with the most sunlight is during their summer solstice, which occurs around December 21 or 22.
Thus, the day with the most sunlight in a given year depends on the hemisphere: June solstice for the Northern Hemisphere and December solstice for the Southern Hemisphere. The equator experiences roughly equal day and night lengths year-round due to its position.
