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Saturday, December 20, 2008

WINTER SOLSTICE SUN

Winter Solstice Sun -(Circles of Winter series) - © Sue O'Kieffe 2008
source image - red clover gone to seed


Every day I learn something new. Today I learned solstice means standing still sun. This was probably elementary science when I was a youngster, but science never held much interest for me when I was a lass.

On the night of winter solstice, as seen from a northern sky, the three stars in Orion's Belt align with the brightest star in the eastern sky Sirius to show where the Sun will rise in the morning after winter solstice. Until this time, the Sun has exhibited since summer solstice a decreasing arc across the Southern sky. On winter solstice, the Sun ceases to decline in the sky and the length of daylight reaches its minimum for three days, during which the sun does not move on the horizon. After such a time, the Sun begins its ascent into the northern sky and days grow longer. Thus the interpretation by many cultures of a sun reborn and a return to light. This return to light is again celebrated at the vernal equinox, when the length of day equals that of night. (from wikipedia)



I guess if I am going to celebrate Solstice as a holy day, it's good to understand some of the factual stuff too.

I have been away from the blogosphere for a week. Last Sunday I came home to a computer that wouldn't start up. A new power supply and larger hard drive solved that problem. While my computer guy was under the hood, I asked him to add another gig of RAM, so I practically have a new machine. It's so interesting how one problem solved creates a host of others. After bringing the pc home on Tuesday, it crashed a couple of times, so back to my friendly pc doc it went. Wouldn't ya know though, after three days he couldn't consistently reduplicate the error. So back home she is for some test driving with fingers crossed. So far so good. Only one error since Friday night. Perhaps holiday magic has saved the day!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely mandala - it is chilly cool - apt for the weather around my home. I love Winter solstice. It's when the dark starts going away. Makes me very happy. For some reason I get vertigo (lightly - annoying but not bed ridden) around both solstices. Docs just look at me like I'm crazy. But I've tracked it. Merry Holiday!

The Artful Eye said...

Vibrant and heart warming mandala. Winter is here in southern CA, must be frigid by you.

With great wonder I have seen the three stars of Orion's belt perfectly aligned with this bright star. It was pointed out by a friend of ours last year as we sat in our backyard celebrating Winter Solstice. I didn't know it meant standing still sun. Very interesting! The area in which we live is called "Valley of the Sun".

Sorry to hear your PC went kaplooey. Lucky you have a computer guy. Gerard used to be my computer guy until I bought my MAC and then he said I was on my own. What a guy!

Unknown said...

andrea...i didn't think macs needed computer guys!

John M. Mora said...

This one warms and revitalzes.

Glad PC is resolved.

I need RAM too.

My best for Christmas.

Snowing and raining and going dowm to the twenties tonight.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful Mandala.

I know I should have asked first, but with no time to do so, I must confess that I did "borrow" this mandala for a post I did on the Winter Solstice for my own blog - Deaf Pagan Crossroads. I did credit it to you, and linked back to this site so that others would be able to find you. I hope that it does bring you in a few hits!

Here's wishing you a most joyous Winter Solstice, and hoping that your computer holds up... having just gone thru a similar experience and now dealing with a refurbished one, I too am keeping my fingers crossed!

dianeclancy said...

Sue - this one is spectacular!! Really amazing (like all of yours, only more so!)

Happy Solstice ... and here's to a great year!! Hope you saw that I gave you an award.

~ Diane Clancy
www.DianeClancy.com/blog
www.DianeClancy.etsy.com

Biedrzyn said...

Nice colours,best regards.