Winter Solstice 2009

Posted Mon Dec 21, 2009 in Science

I try to write a bit on all of the big astronomical days — the solstices and the equinoxes. They are important days, or at least they were important days when our society was agrarian. The days demarcate the seasonal boundaries with the solstices marking the longest and shortest days and the equinoxes the days of equal day and night. Those are the scientific descriptions.

I also sense a feeling about these days. In particular, the winter solstice feels like an ending/beginning. It represents, at least to me, the new year even if we don’t celebrate the new year until 1 January (by the vagaries of our adopted calendar¹). The winter solstice is the low point of the year for me as well. The days are as short as they will be (in the northern hemisphere at least). My mood is also at it’s nadir with the lack of sunshine, and maybe just a bit because it’s an ending.

The winter solstice also represents the new beginning promised by Christ’s birth. (Again, regardless of the true date of his birth, the adoption of the winter solstice for the celebration seems appropriate.) There is great significance there as well.

I made the image with my iPhone on the way to work this morning. I captured two images, one focused on the darker part of the view and one on the lighter portion. I used a software application to combine the two images and expand the dynamic range of the photograph. I’m experimenting with HDR imagery in this way. It’s interesting.

It’s the winter solstice. Happy Solstice Day. It’s a day of endings and beginnings.

¹ I’d be happy to work on the astronomical calendar. It makes more sense to me that what we’re doing.

[Edited 22 December 2009]