Summer Solstice
Today marks the Summer Solstice. Wikipedia provides this explanation:
“The summer solstice is an astronomical term regarding the position of the sun in relation to the celestial equator. At the time of the summer solstice, Earth is at a point in its orbit where one hemisphere is most tilted towards the sun, causing the sun to appear at 23.45 degrees above the celestial equator, thus making its highest path across the sky. The summer solstice is the day of the year with the longest daylight period and hence the shortest night. This day usually occurs on June 21/June 22 in the northern hemisphere and on December 21/December 22 in the southern hemisphere. The actual date changes due to differences between the calendar year and the tropical year.”
I have been rather fond of the day for years, primarily because it marks the beginning of summer. Summer is easily my favorite season, especially early in the summer. There is something about early summer that just makes me smile. Maybe it is because it is filled with so much potential.
I also find the summer solstice to be interesting because of Stonehenge.
“Stonehenge (stÅn‘hÄ•nj‘) , group of standing stones on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, S England. Preeminent among megalithic monuments in the British Isles, it is similar to an older and larger monument at Avebury. The great prehistoric structure is enclosed within a circular ditch 300 ft (91 m) in diameter, with a bank on the
inner side, and is approached by a broad roadway called the Avenue. Within the circular trench the stones are arranged in four series: The outermost is a circle of sandstones about 13.5 ft (4.1 m) high connected by lintels; the second is a circle of bluestone menhirs; the third is horseshoe shaped; the innermost, ovoid. Within the ovoid lies the Altar Stone. The Heelstone is a great upright stone in the Avenue, northeast of the circle. It was at one time widely believed that Stonehenge was a druid temple, but this is
contradicted by the fact that the druids probably did not arrive in Britain until c.250 B.C. In 1963 the American astronomer Gerald Hawkins theorized that Stonehenge was used as a huge astronomical instrument that could accurately measure solar and lunar movements as well as eclipses. “
I don’t know about you, but there is something very cool about the place. I haven’t been there, but it is on my list of places to visit.
Jack's Shack June 23, 2006 at 12:56 am
Laughing girl,
You don’t know what you are speaking about, but one day you will. 😉
Stacey June 22, 2006 at 1:58 pm
Bwahahahaha! There is no autumn there. You just think there is.
You should head up to New England some October and you will see autumn in all its brilliance.
Jack's Shack June 22, 2006 at 1:41 pm
Stacey,
You are patently wrong about that. It exists. We see the leaves change and feel that crisp morning air, but it just doesn’t measure up to summer.
Maybe you spent too many years thinking that grey skies were normal, but I didn’t.
I love the summer, love hanging out at the beach. Just last weekend I spent happy moments listening to the surf. Good stuff.
Stacey June 22, 2006 at 1:34 pm
Autumn is the most beautiful season. By far. But you wouldn’t know that since it doesn’t exist where you live. What a shame.
Jack's Shack June 22, 2006 at 1:32 pm
PP,
I have had a sneaking suspicion about that.
Prag,
Absolutely.
Pragmatician June 22, 2006 at 11:05 am
The summer ranks as my Nr.1 too, sunny wetaher is just better for the morale.
tafka PP June 22, 2006 at 6:56 am
It is cool. But always looks better in the pictures.
I was in the Baltics once for Summer Solstice- it was incredible.