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Blog18: (15th Dec 09) Winter Solstice Update:

 

 

We have received e-mails from several people asking why Winter Solstice sunrise access to Stonehenge this year is on the 22nd and not on the 21st.

 

The Astronomical point of Solstice occurs this year at approximately 6pm on the 21st.

 

Sunset happens at 3:59 pm that day, so the first of three solstice sunrises happens at Stonehenge on the 22nd of December and the last on the 24th. This is when the sun rises and sets at its lowest point on the horizon for three days and is known as the southern solar standstill.

 

The other factor that puts solstice this year on the 22nd is that a Celtic day starts at sunset, sunrise being the mid point, and the following sunset the days end. This is quite odd from a modern perspective where calendar dates change at midnight. To the Celtic way of thinking, the astronomical solstice happens within the 22nd December.

 

Dates for solstices and equinoxes vary from year to year, usually falling on the 21st yet not always as the Gregorian calendar is not and accurate reflection of the Earth Sun relationship.

 

For people who turn up at Stonehenge on the 21st there will be a simple sunrise ceremony in the National trust field opposite Stonehenge. It is very unlikely that English heritage will let anyone through to the stones. At sunset on the 21st I believe that another ceremony may take place and for this there is a chance that EH will allow people through to the monument field.

 

Access on the 22nd for solstice sunrise will be at approximately 7:30am with sunrise expected for 8:12am. It may be very cold this year, please come warmly dressed.

 

Aes Dana will not be taking part in the celebrations centre circle this time we have taken the option to withdraw this once and have a happy and much more relaxed celebration with spiritual focus, music and dance at the heel Stone.

 

Wishing everyone a very happy Solstice!