Finally! The First Day of Summer, or The Summer Solstice Has Arrived

We've gritted our teeth through "Gray May," and suffered through almost three weeks of "June Gloom," but it's officially summer.

According to the Old Farmer's Alamanac, summer began in the Northern Hemisphere at 4:09 p.m. PDT on June 20.

"The Sun, now in Cancer, falls in the 8th house of finance indicating opportunities for money and investments for Laguna Niguel residents," says local astrologer, "The Moon is also in Cancer in the 9th house of travel. This indicates we may get more visitors to Laguna Niguel this summer than previous years. Pluto, Uranus and Venus are all at 8 degrees. This is a creative placement, perfect if you want to redecorate, landscape or add some art to your home in the next three months. Enjoy the long, sunny day."

Here’s more factoids about the first day of summer also known as the summer solstice, thanks to the Old Farmer's Almanac.

• Each year, the timing of the solstice depends on when the Sun reaches its farthest point north of the equator. This occurs annually on June 20 or June 21 in North America, depending on your time zone.
• The word solstice is from the Latinsolstitium, from sol (sun) andstitium (to stop), reflecting the fact that the Sun appears to stop at this time (and again at the winter solstice).
• In temperate regions, the Sun is higher in the sky throughout the day, and its rays strike Earth at a more direct angle, causing the efficient warming called summer. In the winter, just the opposite occurs: The Sun is at its southernmost point and is low in the sky. Its rays hit the Northern Hemisphere at an oblique angle, creating the feeble winter sunlight.
• The Sun is directly overhead at its most northern point at "high-noon" on the summer solstice, creating more sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere on this day then any other. 
• Click here for local Sunrise and set times—and how the day length changes.

Source: Alamanac.com