With early September on the horizon, many people are asking the same question: when does summer officially end? Whether you're trying to soak up the last of the warm weather or you're ready for the cooler autumn months, it's a date many of us are looking for.
However, how much summertime we have left is contingent on whether you follow the astronomical seasons or the meteorological seasons.
So what is the difference between the astronomical and meteorological calendars? Find out what you need to know below.
When is the astronomical summer?
The astronomical calendar is based on the position of the Sun in relation to the Earth.
The Met Office explains that: “The astronomical calendar determines the seasons due to the 23.5 degrees of tilt of the Earth’s rotational axis in relation to its orbit around the Sun.”
The dates of the astronomical summer season can vary from year to year. This year, summer began on June 21 and will end on September 20.
The astronomical summer also relates to the dates of the equinoxes and the solstices.
When is the meteorological summer?
Meteorological seasons split the year up into four seasons each made up of three months.
The meteorological seasons are defined as spring (March, April, May), summer (June, July, August), autumn (September, October, November) and winter (December, January, February).
This means that the meteorological summer always begins on June 1 and always ends on August 31.
End of the Summer of Nostalgia
As summer officially ends, many are reflecting on what a nostalgic season it was, dominated by the much-anticipated return of Oasis.
Fans embraced a season of singing along to classics like "Wonderwall," proving that some things never go out of style and nostalgia really does have the power to “Live Forever.”
The nostalgic theme wasn't limited to music, with the return of two major franchises: Jurassic Park and the final installment of the Mission: Impossible series. These films, alongside a resurgence of 90s and early 2000s fashion on London’s streets, helped to make Summer 2025 iconically nostalgic.
Why do we have seasons?
The Earth experiences different seasons as a result of the 23.5 degrees of tilt of Earth’s rotational axis in relation to its orbit around the Sun.
According to the Met Office: “This tilt means that throughout Earth’s orbit around the Sun (our calendar year) certain areas of the globe are tilted towards the Sun, while other areas are tilted away from it.
“This creates a difference in the amount of solar radiation (or sunlight) that reaches different parts of the Earth, therefore creating the global cycle of fluctuations that we know as the seasons.”
