Which is the longest day of the year in New Zealand?

Correct answer: 21 Dec. New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere, where the summer solstice and the longest day fall around 21 December.

Background: The seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere because the Earth’s axis is tilted.

• 21 June: 21 June is the shortest day in New Zealand (winter solstice).
• 22 March: 22 March is near the equinox, when day and night are almost equal.
• 7 Oct: 7 October is not a solstice or equinox date.

Did you know? In the northern hemisphere the longest day falls around 21 June.

Memory trick: Down under: longest day in December.