The longest day of the year arrives this Sunday as astronomical summer officially begins in Spain at 9.24am. But this year’s season is about far more than late sunsets and beach weather. A solar eclipse visible from parts of Spain, the return of the Perseid meteor shower and three full moons are all set to light up the skies over the coming months.

For many people, summer starts when the schools close, the suitcases come out and the first trip to the beach appears on the calendar.

Astronomically speaking, it starts on Sunday morning. At exactly 9.24am Spanish mainland time on June 21, the summer solstice will take place, marking the official start of the season in the Northern Hemisphere.

Most of us won’t notice the precise moment it happens. What we will notice is the amount of daylight.

Sunday brings the longest day of the year, the point when the Sun spends more time above the horizon than on any other date on the calendar.

In Madrid, there will be just over 15 hours of daylight. Compare that with the depths of winter, when daylight drops below ten hours, and it becomes easy to understand why summer evenings in Spain seem to last forever.

The season itself will continue until September 23, giving Spain more than three months of late sunsets, warm nights and plenty of opportunities to spend time outdoors.

And if you enjoy looking at the sky, this summer has a little more to offer than usual.

A solar eclipse will be visible from parts of Spain

The event attracting the most attention is undoubtedly the solar eclipse scheduled for August 12. Eclipses always generate excitement because they remain one of the few astronomical events that people actively plan to watch.

On that afternoon, the Moon will pass between Earth and the Sun.

The path of totality will cross parts of Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic and the North Atlantic.

Spain won’t experience a total eclipse, but parts of the country are expected to see the phenomenon shortly before sunset.

For many people, it may be the first solar eclipse they have ever witnessed.

Astronomers are already encouraging skywatchers to prepare well in advance and to use proper eye protection when observing the Sun.

The timing is likely to make the event even more attractive, with the eclipse occurring as the Sun sits low in the sky.

The Perseids are back

If eclipses require planning, meteor showers are often much simpler.

Find a dark spot, look up and wait. That is largely why the Perseids remain one of the most popular astronomical events every year.

Around August 13, the meteor shower is expected to reach its peak. Under favourable conditions, observers may see dozens of shooting stars each hour.

For many families holidaying in rural Spain, the Perseids have become a summer tradition.

People head to beaches, mountains or countryside viewpoints after dark and simply watch the sky.

The Delta Aquariids will arrive first, reaching peak activity around July 31.

They may not receive the same attention as the Perseids, but they can still produce impressive displays for those lucky enough to be away from city lights.

Three full moons and some of the clearest skies of the year

Summer also happens to be one of the easiest times of year to enjoy stargazing.

Warm nights encourage people to stay outdoors longer and holidaymakers often find themselves far away from the bright lights of large cities.

This year will feature full moons on June 29, July 29 and August 28.

Meanwhile, keen observers will be able to spot some of the best known sights in the night sky.

The Summer Triangle, formed by the stars Vega, Deneb and Altair, will dominate many evenings.

The constellations Scorpius and Sagittarius will also be visible, pointing roughly towards the centre of our galaxy.

In locations with very little light pollution, the Milky Way can often be seen stretching across the sky as a pale band of light.

There is also an interesting astronomical curiosity arriving on July 6. That is when Earth reaches aphelion, the point in its orbit furthest from the Sun.

At that moment, our planet will be more than 152 million kilometres away from it.

The fact often surprises people because it happens during summer rather than winter. The seasons are controlled by the tilt of Earth’s axis, not how close we are to the Sun.

For most people, however, the science is probably not the main attraction.

What matters is that the season beginning this weekend comes with longer days, warmer nights and a sky that will have plenty to offer for anyone willing to take a moment to look up.

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