solstice

Family Astronomer Royal, Dr. Richard Schwartz reminds today is the winter solstice. High Holy days for for my ancient Celtic ancestors, and many current world religions.

Can you visualize the lifetimes of work involved, watching the stars, observing (a skill currently out of favor)the natural phenomena, laying the ground work necessary for the ancients to develop an annual calendar, first notice then dead reckon a lightest and darkest day of the year, sell the notion of a solstice and its significance to the local high priests, the annual wait for decent weather necessary to replicate its happening, and then to sign up your neighbors to rejoice in its coming, and hoping its not cloudy that day? The mind reels at the improbability. Yet it happened. Over and over. Civilizations around the world built solar observatories to await the solstices.

We are dismissive of early man's accomplishments, but many of their findings hold true thousands of years later. Things you or I couldn't do, were done by people before Google,Internet or wireless remote cable television.

So let us rejoice. The dark days are behind us, the days grow brighter, spring is not far.

Finally, in an annual tradition of my own, and to celebrate the miracle of the seasonal snow fall let's celebrate with Robert Frost.



Have a wonderful solstice.

Toad

Winter solstice part 1

One of the indeterminable beliefs surrounding Stonehenge is that ancient Celts built this magnificent observatory thousand of years ago to welcome the Winter Solstice. (the sound you hear in the background is Mrs. T saying BS, they don't know that)

Mrs. T and I were sorely at odds the day this photo was taken. Arriving at the car park near the monument I felt like I had come home. It was one of those places with which I immediately connected. It was mid May, pouring rain, very cold and the wind was biting. I found the stones powerfully uplifting. Ever the skeptic, my adored bride walked a few feet with me and then ran for the gift shop. She was having none of it. I spent an hour walking round and round soaked to the skin. She was dying for a cig. Mentioning Stonehenge to her is waving a red cape to a bull.

Whether an observatory or not, I dedicate this solstice to my favorite astronomer, Dr. Richard Schwartz. Get well soon my friend. In these troubled times the world needs your dry wit and boundless curiosity.

Toad