Solstice Echo

FlourescentLightArt (FLART)

 

 

VERNAL EQUINOX Beckons..

There are two equinoxes every year – in March and September. 

The Sun will rise due east and set due west on the equinoxes (on all other days the Sun will rise either north or south of east, and set north or south of west)
The length of day and night are nearly equal (No need for exact maths on this page)

1. SEPT - Autumn Equinox = equal day/night

2. Night increases , Daylight decreases

3. DEC - Winter Solstice = shortest daylight/longest night - northern hemisphere tilts away from sun so least exposure to sun and shorter days.

4. Daylight increases, Night decreases until ..

5. MAR - Spring Equinox = equal Day/night

6. Daylight hours continue increase until..

7. JUNE - Summer Solstice = longest daylight/shortest night - northern hemisphere tilts towards sun so gets max daylight.

8. Daylight decreases until... Goto 1.

Without the earths axis tilt it would be equinox all the time and we would have no Winter or Summer.

Spring equinox 2012 in Northern Hemisphere:
March 20, at 05:14 am

Back to skool for the overall picture: 

....and for those who want to sing-a-long-a-science:

nb. Disclaimer - As with all science if you go into it at a professional level you find the above is so basic that it is almost misleading, but without the above framework it would be practically impossible to really understand the movement of the earth around the sun at a higher level. (-:

The rising and setting Sun.

The Sun rises in the East and sets in the West, yes?...NO.  It only does this at two points in our year.

Equinox - sun rises due east and sets due west.  

These are around 21 MAR and 21 SEP in the Northern Hemisphere - they are the days of equal day and night hours.  In between it gets darker and lighter as the tilted earth moves one cycle around the sun. If the earth did not tilt we would not have Seasons.

Winter solstice - Shortest Daylight hours at midwinter around 21 DEC....There is a  low arc as we tilt away from sun in northern hemisphere - sun rises nearer south east and sets nearer south west - ie it arcs over the south - at midday the sun will indicate which way is south.

Summer solstice - Midsummer is around 21 JUN . There is a higher arc so sun seems higher overhead at midday - rises nearer north east, sets nearer north west.

Midwinter is upon us- Happy Solstice, and Wassail !

 
 

Some Nuggets 

off the back 

O’ Yellowhammer’s 

Wagon :
 

Sage
Sage is a good all round healing herb and delicious is stuffing this time of year.  It's leaf has the appearance of snake skin.
Medically it can be used to combat indigestion, and night sweats. It also boosts liver function.  

Mix a few drops of sage and rose or mandarin essential oils and dilute with vodka to create a room spray , pick me up purifying vibes ...

[The vodka is neutral alcohol and evaporates leaving the fragrance behind, unlike water which may stain]


Fire  

Building a fire and staring at candles. A wintry must.

 

Winter animules...it’s supposed to be really cold but isn’t - there’s still plenty of berries around for the littleuns.  

Time to meditate on the skills of winter survival..

Cunning, stealth, persistence... Arctic fox as a totem can teach us the ability to go with the flow of life, changing ourselves to suit our ever-evolving environments.
Let it be and Follow the fox...

The Astronomy : http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/december-solstice.html
See the hours of daylight and sunise/sunset for my part of the world :

Dec 21	8:07 AM	3:57 PM	7h 50m 12s
Dec 22	8:07 AM	3:57 PM	7h 50m 11s
Dec 23	8:08 AM	3:58 PM	7h 50m 16s
Dec 24	8:08 AM	3:59 PM	7h 50m 27s
Dec 25	8:08 AM	3:59 PM	7h 50m 46s
Dec 26	8:09 AM	4:00 PM	7h 51m 10s
Dec 27	8:09 AM	4:01 PM	7h 51m 41s

Winter cocktail:

1/4 vodka, 1/4 Grand Marnier. 1/2 Fizz

Ice to taste.

Best drunk round a bonfire from a mug.

winter solstice sun arcs

The earth is tilted at 21degrees as it cycles in a loop around the sun over the year...winter solstice is the shortest day of the year because the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, so the proportion of day light to shadow night as the earth turns it's 24 hour cycle is lowest...

 

excellent glossary : Journey North