Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Sunrise Solstice over Stonehenge

NASA ^ | Monday, June 20, 2016 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Today the Sun reaches its northernmost point in planet Earth's sky. Called a solstice, the date traditionally marks a change of seasons -- from spring to summer in Earth's Northern Hemisphere and from fall to winter in Earth's Southern Hemisphere. The featured image was taken during the week of the 2008 summer solstice at Stonehenge in United Kingdom, and captures a picturesque sunrise involving fog, trees, clouds, stones placed about 4,500 years ago, and a 4.5 billion year old large glowing orb. Even given the precession of the Earth's rotational axis over the millennia, the Sun continues to rise over Stonehenge in an astronomically significant way.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit and Copyright: Max Alexander, STFC, SPL]

[SunkenCiv]

Kind of my favorite and least favorite day of the year, rolled into one.

The Big One [4200 pixel wide]

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[V K Lee]

Mixed emotions: The longest day of the year brings joy for those who need bright days with plenty of sunshine. On the flip side one realizes that days on end will be shorter still for a number of months. Dreary days with little sunlight. Time marches on.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Good photo. Moving image.

[BigEdLB]

Beautiful

[BigEdLB]

STONEHENGE BALLET

[Mrs. Don-o]

I'm going out at 1:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (which should be NOON Eastern Standard Time)to do what I do every year at this day and time: mark my shadow, which will be pointed True South.

God has made everything with a Beautiful Design.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Depending on where you are in the Eastern Time Zone it may be pointed due south at 1:00pm EDT (12:00pm EST) as you may or may not be at noon at actual local solar time.

[left that other site]

18"

[FXRP]

You must live south of the tropic of cancer. I live almost on it, so at 1:46PM the sun will be directly overhead, leaving no shadow for me.

[disndat]

Kind of my favorite and least favorite day of the year, rolled into one.

I know what you mean. There is a moment there when not even the shadow knows.

[Mike Darancette]

That was a busy day, Summer Solstice, Stonehenge 4,500 years ago.

[7MMmag]

>>>STONEHENGE BALLET<<<

What is that, some kind of rock music?

[BigEdLB]

Classical style created with virtual instruments.

[SunkenCiv]

...record of the band that played the blues...

[left that other site]

Played, of course, on a custom amp that goes up to 11.

[SunkenCiv]

Stonehenge was, after all, a prehistoric record turntable.

The technology never caught on, it only plays the one song.

[Ditter]

I measure the sunlight that comes into my kitchen window this time of year. It doesn’t any other time. Never thought of marking my shadow.

[Night Hides Not]

Agreed, the realization that the days will now be shorter is a bit of a bummer for me. I enjoy summer, it allows me to extend my walking hours to nearly 9 PM.

[V K Lee]

One of many reasons fear that I could not survive living north of the Mason/Dixon Line. The lack of sunlight and the freezing cold of winter.