Summer countdown
Count the days left until the official start of summer (the solstice), depending on your hemisphere. The countdown updates live in your browser, with no data sent to a server.
How it works
Astronomical summer begins at the solstice, the moment when one of the two hemispheres has its longest day of the year: around June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, and around December 21 in the Southern Hemisphere. Choose your hemisphere and follow the countdown, updated every second.
Why is the solstice date "around" June 21 and not fixed?
The exact date of the solstice varies slightly from year to year (generally between June 20 and 22, or December 20 and 23) because the calendar year (365 or 366 days) doesn't exactly match the length of Earth's orbit. This tool uses the 21st as the usual reference, accurate to within a day, which is enough for a general-purpose countdown.
Does this countdown match the official start of school vacations?
No, the summer solstice is an astronomical date, independent of the school calendar, which varies by country, region and school district. If you're looking for the start of your specific school vacation, use the "Vacation countdown" tool with a custom date instead.
Your hemisphere choice and the countdown stay entirely in your browser, with nothing transmitted to a server.