Today is the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere, or the shortest night if you're a contrarian.
Photo: 123rf
The summer solstice officially took place at 4.59am today marking the beginning of the astronomical summer.
Otago Museum director and avid sky watcher Dr Ian Griffin told Morning Report the south would get more sun today than the north.
"In Dunedin today we're getting about 15 hours and 44 minutes with the sun above the horizon, which is nearly an hour and a quarter more than you would get in the Far North.
"So while folks often say we're kind of cold and dark down here, we actually get really long, beautiful summer day and obviously it's a beautiful day, like that today."
It does not mean it will be one of the hottest days this summer.
Listen to avid sky watcher Dr Ian Griffin on the longest day of the year
He said solstice comes from the Greek word which means standing still.
"What happens is in the run up to the solstice, the sun is moving slowly, slowly South in the sky, then it stops, and then it starts reversing its motion.
"So this standing still point marks the furthest south sunset that we'll get during the course of the year; and that's why it's got this name."