Summer Solstice 2013

June 19th, 2013 | by sbieger |

How time flies (so to speak)! The year is almost half way complete looking at our modern calendar. The Summer Solstice occurs this Friday, June 21, and that will signify the longest day of the year. So starting Friday, the days get shorter and the nights longer. That is some consolation to a star gazer. But, of course, for centuries human kind has known the cycle of the seasons was at its midpoint, even if they didn’t have a calendar hanging on the wall. And they knew that by .. well .. sky gazing.

It always fascinates me how we as a species have developed ways of keeping track of the year over the eons with some kind of calendar. Using the sky as a source for a calendar has a human legacy that began before written history. Use the link to solstice below and you can begin to follow the path through human culture and exploration back to the predawn of civilization. Our Sun has been with us every day and will continue to light our way for many millennium to come. And it’s constant return (fortunately) day after day has left its mark on us.

Just as important as a calendar is the astronomical event itself, born from our position in relation to our star, The Sun. The word solstice comes from the Latin, meaning “sun, to stand still”. This happens twice a year, once this week, and again on December 21st, more or less. Of course, this has been going on for over 3 billion years! It’s not really news but there has been a long tradition of watching the sun and its position in the sky. And over the centuries, we have managed to understand the motion of the Earth around the Sun, even if you don’t yet fully understand the Sun itself.

Next time you’re outside watching your shadow, remember that light, those photons, came from our Sun. The rock you stand on is held in a consistent orbit thanks to the gravitational pull of the Sun. Almost everything around us benefits from the energy that bathes the Earth, the clouds that rain on us, the food we eat. So, celebrate on Friday! It’s Sun Day!!

You must be logged in to post a comment.