Equinoxes and Solstices

[harryhaller]

Today is the Spring Equinox

The autumn one will be on the 22nd September

Midsummer solstice will be on the 21st June

and the most famous - the winter solstice wil be on the 21st December.

I find all these events important and I wonder why they are suppressed in public life. The BBC site covering this even refers the user to the U.S. Naval Site for the dates - don't we have an authority of our own with these important dates?

Can we have them marked on our own BCUK calendar?

How important are these real events - as opposed to other mythical events - to us bushcrafters?

 

[Chinkapin]

I'm kind of like you harryhaller, it seems that the royal observatory at Greenwich could be trusted to come up with that information. Of course, I'm sure that the U.S. Navy does not mind providing this for anyone interested. While I'm on the subject of Greenwich, I'm still irritated with this Universal Coordinated Mean Time. What the devil happened to Greenwich Mean Time? This was the way WWV the shortwave radio station ran by the Federal Government used to give it. It still sounds wrong to me.

 

[Steve M]

What the devil happened to Greenwich Mean Time?

The French speaking nations of our great planet

Actually, that's not true at all, but that explains the silly abbreviation.

Greenwich Mean Time became ambiguous and was replaced with something specific.

 

[forestwalker]

I'm kind of like you harryhaller, it seems that the royal observatory at Greenwich could be trusted to come up with that information. Of course, I'm sure that the U.S. Navy does not mind providing this for anyone interested. While I'm on the subject of Greenwich, I'm still irritated with this Universal Coordinated Mean Time. What the devil happened to Greenwich Mean Time? This was the way WWV the shortwave radio station ran by the Federal Government used to give it. It still sounds wrong to me.

I think the US Navy just had the first hit on Google. There is a bunch of places one can find the equinoxes, solstices and moonphases.

 

[Melonfish]

the equinoxes are part of the pagan wheel of the year, originally the celtic peoples of britain used this as their general calander.
20th to the 22nd is about right for the festival. take a look at this here wiki entry!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_the_Year
lots of loverly information on the old calander in there. personally i know the vernal equinox as Alban Eilir. tis a fun time!

 

[Toddy]

There is a very excellent site at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/explore/astronomy-and-time/time-facts/equinoxes-and-solstices

Basically the vernal equinox to us here in the Northern Hemisphere is the crossover point of the Sun........we're going to see more of it until the Autumnal Equinox in September when it crosses over again.
On the two equinoxes the day and night times are even.
I like the turning of the year, I love the way it changes, the smells that say, "Spring", or that blissful warm dawn that you just know is Summer, the first breath of the nip in the air for Autumn and that dark, bitter cold, after an icy too short day that makes you grateful for a warm fire and bed, that is unmistakably Winter.

So, after all that How has your day been ?
So far I've made a tension tray from willow offcuts and started a basket from willow and ivy. It's a misty, cold but very still day here, quite lovely

cheers,
Toddy

 

[harryhaller]

I see from that Wiki link that Alban Eilir, today, is also the Festival of Trees.

Today - the Festival of Trees - now that's something we all should celebrate! It should be a national holiday - er.. I mean national sabbat

Get thee to the woods!

 

[harryhaller]

So, after all that How has your day been ?

I tried to sleep out under the stars - and they were there, lots of them - in my hammock. Tonight I will do the same and hope I feel warmer with a different hammock set up.

Here, it is sunny - not a cloud in the sky - and fresh.

 

[Melonfish]

it was fresh and cold this morning, but its gloriously sunny with a fresh breeze here. an excellent day for the beginning of this festival!

 

[Cobweb]

Today has been a chill out day, I've mooched around the net for most of this morning, later I have a couple phone calls to make and then I'll go out into the back garden and potter around, tidying up there!
I've used al of my available materials to make something, although I still have a few more balls of wool, I may naalbind up some socks.

 

[launditch1]

Nice to this mentioned..I,and a small group of assorted eclectics will be celebrating the return of spring(ostara)this saturday eve.Plenty of mead and cakes!!...and a nice fire in the woods.

 

[EdS]

The French speaking nations of our great planet

Actually, that's not true at all, but that explains the silly abbreviation.

Greenwich Mean Time became ambiguous and was replaced with something specific.

Stopped been GMT when we started using the international atomic clock system to standardise time.

 

[wanderingblade]

How important are these real events - as opposed to other mythical events - to us bushcrafters?

If they are valid excuses to get smashed out of your bucket then sign me up.

 

[gregorach]

What, you need an excuse now? How about if I've got a letter from my mum?