Australia's longest day of the year will occur this weekend

This year’s summer solstice will occur on Saturday, with the day length expected to be 14 hours and 25 minutes in Sydney and about half an hour longer in Melbourne, according to Weatherzone.

Here’s what you need to know.

What is the summer solstice in Australia?

The seasons and the length of our days and nights are determined by the Earth’s tilt relative to the sun, which is constantly changing throughout the year.

The summer solstice usually occurs in late December, with last year’s taking place on December 22.

Which state has the longest day?

The date of the summer solstice marks the longest day of the year, although this varies from state to state.

According to Weatherzone, Hobart will experience the longest day, with 15 hours and 22 minutes of daylight.

This will be followed by Melbourne with 14 hours and 48 minutes, Canberra with 14 hours and 33 minutes, and Adelaide with 14 hours and 31 minutes.

Sydney will have 14 hours and 25 minutes of daylight, followed by Perth with 14 hours and 15 minutes, Brisbane with 13 hours and 53 minutes, and finally Darwin with 12 hours and 52 minutes.

What happens after the summer solstice?

Following this weekend’s summer solstice, the days will gradually begin to get shorter.

This means the nights will slowly become longer across the country until the winter solstice, which is usually in late June 2025.