Summer Solstice: what and when it is

The reason the Earth has seasons is because of its tilt. Rather than being directly up and down, the Earth is tilted 23.5° away from 90°. As the planet orbits around the sun, different parts of Earth are exposed to more/less of the sun's rays.

During the summer solstice, the Earth's axis is tilted towards the sun, with the sun directly over the Tropic of Cancer. This occurrence marks the first day of the summer season. The solstice does not take place on the same day every year due to the subtle changes in Earth's orbit around the sun. For 2023, it will occur on June 21st at 7:58 a.m. PDT.

Since more energy is directed to the Northern Hemisphere, we experience the "longest day" of the year. In Palm Springs, the sun will rise at 5:35 a.m. and set at 8:00 p.m., leaving 14 hours, 24 minutes, and 18 seconds of daylight to enjoy your Wednesday.