[extropy-chat] Soltices, Midsummer's Day and Ja'ni

[Amara Graps]

Oops! My summer solstice crept up on me this year...

In 2004, For Northerners on Planet Earth:
          summer begins June 20, 8:57 P.M. EDT (June 21, 00:57 UT*)
          For Southerners on Planet Earth:
          winter begins June 20, 8:57 P.M. EDT (June 21, 00:57 UT*)

Those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, I hope you're enjoying the
long days and short nights. Those of you in the Southern Hemisphere,
the days will soon be getting longer.

Happy Solstice, folks!

and for Northerners: Happy Midsummer's Day and
                      Happy Ja'ni  (*)  !!


http://www.infoplease.com/spot/solstice.html

Solstice, from the Latin for sun stands still, in astronomy, either of
the two points on the ecliptic that lie midway between the equinoxes
(separated from them by an angular distance of 90°).

At the solstices the sun's apparent position on the celestial sphere
reaches its greatest distance above or below the celestial equator,
about 23 1/2° of arc. At the time of summer solstice, about June 22,
the sun is directly overhead at noon at the Tropic of Cancer.

In the Northern Hemisphere the longest day and shortest night of the
year occur on this date, marking the beginning of summer. At winter
solstice, about December 22, the sun is overhead at noon at the Tropic
of Capricorn; this marks the beginning of winter in the Northern
Hemisphere. For several days before and after each solstice the sun
appears to stand still in the sky, i.e., its noontime elevation does
not seem to change from day to day.


(*) Ja'ni:
http://www.latviansonline.com/features/article.php?id=348_0_11_0_C
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Amara Graps, PhD             email: amara at amara.com
Computational Physics        vita:  ftp://ftp.amara.com/pub/resume.txt
Multiplex Answers            URL:   http://www.amara.com/
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"Living on earth may be expensive, but it includes an annual free trip
around the sun."   --Ashleigh Brilliant