• Love sunsets? Have a look Gallery: Sunsets around the world
• For people living around 40 degrees north latitude, the latest sunsets of the year happen in late June. And in the Southern Hemisphere, at 40 degrees south latitude, it's the year's latest sunrises that happen around this time of year. That's in spite of the fact that the longest (or shortest) day of the year falls on the June 20 solstice.
• Although the latest sunset always comes on or near June 27 at mid-northern latitudes every year, the sky scene in the southwestern sky after sunset is special to June 27, 2012. As

darkness falls at northerly latitudes, look for the waxing gibbous moon to shine in the vicinity of the planet Saturn and Spica, the constellation Virgo's brightest star. For more on Saturn and Spica, see tomorrow's program.
• The year's latest sunset always comes after the summer solstice, even though the exact date depends on your latitude. Farther north - at Seattle - the latest sunset happens a few days before June 27. Farther south at Mexico City, the latest sunset won't happen until early July.
• The latest sunsets come after the summer solstice because the day is more than 24 hours long at this time of the year. In June and July, the day (as measured by successive returns of the midday sun) is nearly 1/4 minute longer than 24 hours. Hence, the midday sun (solar noon) comes later in late June by the clock than it

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