2024-12-21

Solstice

=> #time
=> #physics

Today is solstice, so days will become longer again in the North. I think, this day is and has always been somewhat significant, although it is buried beneath commercials, LED lighting, business, christmas cards, presents, "Weihnachtsmarkt", and "Glühwein", at least around here.

Vi Grey has written about determining the time by himself:

=> gemini://vigrey.com/journal/determining-time-from-first-principles-update-1.gmi | local copy

And that reminds me of a nice video Nick Wright put together from pictures overlooking his driveway: a Driveway Analemma. This at least should inspire us to look, maybe the sun clock is already out there!

=> https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241204.html

A nice "horizon calendar" is shown just today on APOD (Astronomy Picture of the Day). Wael Omar has put together a collage of pictures featuring sun sets throughout the year. My mother knew the horizon calender as apparent from the kitchen window quite well. It's there for you, even if you do not pay any attention!

=> https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241221.html

Searching for "analemma" or "solstice" in the Archive page of APOD finds many such treasures.

=> https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html

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