Friday, June 20, 2008

Sun Stands Still Today

Today is the summer solstice. At precisely 7:59 p.m. EDT this evening, the tilt of the earth on its axis, which brings the northern hemisphere closest to the sun, will reach its maximum declination, and for that one second the sun will appear to stand still (which is what "solstice" means in Latin).

Our longest day of the year.

Tomorrow will be several seconds shorter, as the northern hemisphere tilts back away from the sun and cranks us inevitably back into winter.

This morning at Stonehenge there was a great gathering to welcome the rising sun, and by setting sun today a midsummer night's dream will have infected neo-Druids everywhere.

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