Happy Winter Solstice, 2007

Same to you.

However, I think you will find the sun is over our tropic, you know the southern one, not the equator.

That'll be your equinox.


:wink:

Always a day of the year I look forward to, up here, as it were.

Some links on artist Nancy Holt's sun tunnels. I didn't nab a view at winter solstice, but one is at summer...
(note also the constellations piercing the concrete.. )


http://arts.utah.gov/experience_arts/collections/public_arts_collection/sun_tunnels/index.html

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5500934
summer
no

Dlowan--

I stand corrected. Thank you. I'm scatterbrained in the dark of the year.

Osso--

I'm going to follow up on your links.

Osso--

Many manisons, many mansions.

The shortest day of the year will also be the day where the tide is the
lowest of the entire year. Usually we can walk out onto the tide pools
and explore the marine life where it's covered with water most of the
year.

I have to see now when the tides roll in on Saturday....


Happy Solstice!

Thanks, and have fun with the tide pools...
<slightly green with envy here>





p.s.,
I can only think that 'no' was the started of northern hemisphere, or some such. Or maybe it was 'no, no, nanette!'

The winter solstice is Mr B's favorite day of the year (and he feels a corresponding pain in late June). Although it's cold and dark now, each day after the solstice brings a bit more light and cheer.

Happy Solstice!

I'm with Mr. B on that...

happy WINTER SOLSTICE (or WINTER SONNEN WENDE in german :wink: ) . spring can't be far off !
hbg



if you can say WINTER SONNEN WENDE three times without getting your tongue twisted , you are the WINTER SONNEN WENDE CHAMPION !

I've never seen a photo of how the constellation cuts work at night in Nancy Holt's "Sun Tunnels". Also, dagnabbit, they aren't obscure art to anyone interested in land art. (arguing with article).

ah, thank gawd! The 4:15 sunsets are soon to be a thing of the past (for another year).

LOL, and I like Paprika too!

At dawn on Winter Solstice every year, just after 9am, the sun begins to rise across the Boyne Valley from Newgrange over a hill known locally as Red Mountain. Given the right weather conditions, the event is spectacular.

At four and a half minutes past nine, the light from the rising sun strikes the front of Newgrange, and enters into the passage through the roofbox which was specially designed to capture the rays of the sun.

For the following fourteen minutes, the beam of light stretches into the passage of Newgrange and on into the central chamber, where, in Neolithic times, it illuminated the rear stone of the central recess of the chamber. With simple stone technology, these wonderful people captured a very significant astronomical and calendrical moment in the most spectacular way.

The Fajada Butte in Chaco Canyon has an interesting solar/lunar calendar.

From the outside on a ledge carved into the side of the butte (a tall, nearly vertical sided landform).


Inside, the slabs of rock are to the left of the picture and the spiral to the right. This is at the winter solstice.


Equally interesting are the "light Daggers" which fall during the other soltice and equinoxes as well as the patterns made by moonlight.

Cool...

Yes, I celebrate the solstice with a view to the light returning slowly but surely afterwards! I don't think I officially have SAD but the darkness is depressing nonetheless. Yay light.

Calamity Jane--

Like Osso, I'm envious about your tide-watching--also Red Mountain.

JPB--

My ancestors and Mr. B's ancestors probably marched out of Africa in spite of a nagging suspicion that daylight would be sacrificed.

Hamburger--

Magnificent.

Littlek--

Wonderful, educational pictures.

Soz--

Mild SAD counts. Just because you don't suffer as much or as loudly as I do....

Driven by curiosity, I have searched and found that the solstice sun shines at the zenith at the location of latitude:23°26.4'S, longitude:87°34.4'E, which is in the Indian Ocean.

Satt fs--

Thanks for the information.

By my calculations last night was the longest of the year. I was feeling wambly so I didn't get my little candle set up to combat the dark, but that was my first project this morning.

Sunset this evening is officially 4:47 EST, but the official times don't take a large western mountain into account.

Happy Solstice--and happy longer days.