Happy Solstice...

[Lou]

Was just driving home from dancing tonight (last song James Hunter :drool: ) and I couldn't help but notice what a beautiful (nearly) full moon.... just totally magical and perfect. :)

....sorry - just a random happy thought....

[angelique]

:yeah:
How lovely of you to notice. :flower:

My cauldron is brewing as we speak as tonight is it is indeed the Litha or Summer Solstice to the non-pagans amongst us.

Time to rejoice and celebrate and who knows ...cast a spell or two :wink:
Blessed be to one and all :kiss:

[Whitebeard]

..... and I couldn't help but notice what a beautiful (nearly) full moon.... just totally magical and perfect.
And there's me copin' with an 'at home' night, swirlin' aroun' in my min' with Norah Jones and that other sexy chick whilst simultan...y perusin' the forum - how do I manage that !!! Driftin' to the back door I see moony low in the sky an' hidin' behin' a tree. Your magic. My magic. Choices, choices, choices ....

[Sparkles]

OK, really stupid question coming up...

... In the UK, is the 21st June ALWAYS the longest day of the year? Even in a leap year and all?
It's just that it strikes me that the Earth is unlikely to follow a uniform path around the sun year upon year, so some years it might fall on a different date.

I'm :blush:ing now, cos I think I should know the answer to this already...

S. x

[Dance Demon]

Although there are 365 days in a year, there are actually 365 and 1/4 days....hence the reason we have 366 in a leap year. i.e. the four quarter days become one extra day........so 21st Juneis probably as near to longest day we get....... :flower:

[qjohn]

OK, really stupid question coming up...

... In the UK, is the 21st June ALWAYS the longest day of the year? Even in a leap year and all?
It's just that it strikes me that the Earth is unlikely to follow a uniform path around the sun year upon year, so some years it might fall on a different date.

I'm :blush:ing now, cos I think I should know the answer to this already...

S. x

Probably a really stupid answer coming up :o , but I've always been told that the 21st and 22nd are both the longest days and that it is more a case of night between the 21st abd 22nd being the shortest night of the year. Similarly in December we then have the single longest night of the year.

[ducasi]

I don't know for sure, but if the 21st is the longest day in a leap year it stands to reason that the 22nd was the longest day the year before.

It's fair to say that the night of the 21st is going to be the shortest. I guess. :confused:

[Barry Shnikov]

OK, really stupid question coming up...

... In the UK, is the 21st June ALWAYS the longest day of the year? Even in a leap year and all?
It's just that it strikes me that the Earth is unlikely to follow a uniform path around the sun year upon year, so some years it might fall on a different date.

I'm :blush:ing now, cos I think I should know the answer to this already...

S. x

It's an orbit, not a Ceroc dance! Why wouldn't the earth move in uniform path? It is, in fact, getting slightly closer every year (as the system loses energy the distance between the two bodies reduces; if that wasn't the case then it would be perpetual motion and as we all know, that's not possible) but as it does so it increases speed by the same very small amount (viz. ice skater spinning faster as she pulls her arms and knees closer to herself) so that it will always pass the same point at the same 'time of year'.

However, there is 'precession' - the earth's axis is wobbling in the same way that a spinning top can do. This is why the line subtended from Stonehenge to the relevant stone (Heel stone?) no longer bisects the sun on midsummer morning, because the sun rises at a slightly different point on the horizon. After a time (well, a lot of time, really) the northern hemisphere will be having its winter in June and midsummer on Dec. 21st. Then we can snigger at the bl**dy diggers who'll be shivering indoors over Christmas!!

Since that is the case, it follows that gradually the solstice day must move through the calender day by day.

Now my head hurts and I retire to bed...

[Lou]

And Happy Winter Solstice today! :cheers:

[stewart38]

Probably a really stupid answer coming up :o , but I've always been told that the 21st and 22nd are both the longest days and that it is more a case of night between the 21st abd 22nd being the shortest night of the year. Similarly in December we then have the single longest night of the year.


21st or 22nd June, 21st or 22nd December

Interesting that its not till cira 23rd december the mornings start drawing out, work that one out :sick:

[jivecat]

21st or 22nd June, 21st or 22nd December

Interesting that its not till cira 23rd december the mornings start drawing out, work that one out :sick:

The darkest evenings (Sunset 15:51) occurred on the 11th to the 13th of December. So the evenings are already drawing out.:clap:

However, the darkest mornings are still to come, between Boxing Day and January 4th, (Sunrise 8:06) when, fortuitously, most of the nation is on holiday and can remain safely under the duvet until the sun finally deigns to put in an appearance.

As at midsummer, the time of sunset/sunrise remains at about the same time for about a fortnight. The change in day/night length speeds up massively around the equinoxes but seems to hover at the nadir and the zenith of the year.

Here goes, my first link, hope it works.
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=136&obj=sun&month=12&year=2005&day=1


That reminds me, I should be carrying out some ritual seed-sowing instead of frittering my life away on the forum.
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/wtrsow/2002113002025214.html

[stewart38]

The darkest evenings (Sunset 15:51) occurred on the 11th to the 13th of December. So the evenings are already drawing out.:clap:

However, the darkest mornings are still to come, between Boxing Day and January 4th, (Sunrise 8:06) when, fortuitously, most of the nation is on holiday and can remain safely under the duvet until the sun finally deigns to put in an appearance.



But why is that ? the sun 'heads north' from 21/22 dec but mornings still get darker for a while.

[jivecat]

But why is that ? the sun 'heads north' from 21/22 dec but mornings still get darker for a while.


No idea why, I only know that's what happens.

[stewart38]

No idea why, I only know that's what happens.

where is EL gringo when you need him ??

Its not refraction/reflection or anything ??

[LMC]

IIRC from Science 101 with the Open University, it's to do with axial tilt.

But it's no fun to quote Wikipedia, so I haven't checked and will wait for one of the more knowledgeable to (hopefully) expand on that or tell me I'm way off...

[Aleks]

And Happy Winter Solstice today! :cheers:

And to you too...
Bright blessings to all of you!

[drathzel]

And Happy Winter Solstice today! :cheers:


Ahhh that explains my grumpy mood and desire to cry at anything.... well that and the usual stuff!