On what UTC date did the June solstice occur in 2024?

The June solstice occurred on June 20, 2024, in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The astronomical moment was about 20:51 UTC, so the date remained June 20 on the UTC calendar.

A solstice is a precise instant, not simply an entire day. In 2024, the Sun reached its most northerly apparent position, directly over the Tropic of Cancer, at that moment. This marked the Northern Hemisphere’s astronomical summer solstice and the Southern Hemisphere’s winter solstice.

June 21 is a tempting answer because it is the traditional calendar date in many places and is often used in general descriptions of the event. But the date depends on both the year and the time zone. For observers east of UTC, including India, the same instant occurred during the early hours of June 21 local time.

The June solstice can fall between June 20 and June 22 in the Gregorian calendar. Earth’s orbital motion and the calendar’s leap-year system make the exact date vary from year to year.