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

Alex Ramonsky alex at ramonsky.com
Sun Jun 20 18:55:04 UTC 2004


A question which seems to be difficult to resolve...
If Midsummer Solstice is the start of summer, why is it called Midsummer 
Solstice?
The ancient celts (who were very fond of their solstices) began their 
summer at the cross quarter day between spring equinox and summer 
solstice, ie, 'Mayday' or Bealtaine, around 4th May. Midsummer was, 
well, mid-summer, and summer ended in early August at Lughnasadh, in 
between summer solstice and autumn equinox. This makes sense to me. In 
the middle of summer, you get the most light...
Lots of people in the older generations still follow this pattern and 
treat June 20/21st as midsummer, likewise December 21/22 as Midwinter.
Where did the idea come from that midsummer solstice was the start of 
summer? Is it? Have we official confirmation of this?
In the UK it's very difficult to tell, because the weather is only 
slightly less nasty during june & july.
Best,
AR
***************

Amara Graps wrote:

> 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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