Zimbabwe Sunset

Today's scheduled geocentric astronomical event is the Solstice , with the Sun reaching its northernmost declination at 13 hours 24 minutes Universal Time . For denizens of planet Earth this Solstice marks the beginning of Summer in the northern hemisphere and Winter in the south . Of course, the tilt of the Earth's axis of rotation ( and not a change in the Earth-Sun distance) is mainly responsible for the changing seasons and the Sun's yearly north-south motion through the sky. Following the rising and setting points of the Sun along the horizon is one way to track the Sun's progress along its seasonal cycle . Tall grasses and tinted clouds frame this dramatic view of the setting Sun approaching the northern limit of this year's seasonal journey as seen near Raffingora, Zimbabwe .