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Hello fellow orgers, i think today is the :roll:SHORTEST DAY;) am i right?
cuddlepop
21-Dec-07, 17:52
Its been a beautiful day here but so cold.Cant say whether it got darker sooner but today is the shortest day.:D
Time's just disappeared.:lol:
Today IS the shortest day, Nanoo. Its all uphill from here - I shall be out sunbathing tomorrow in the weak, wintry rays..... Well, washing the car, anyway. ;)
According to the sources I can find...good old Google! :lol:...the winter solstice this year takes place at 6.08UT tomorrow morning (Sat 22nd Dec), which makes tonight the longest night and tomorrow the shortest day (apparently by 1 sec).
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/wintersolstice1.html
http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/03075.html
Thanks for all the info orgers, i'm off now to look for the sun tan lotion, the bikini, beach ball, bucket and spade, sunglasses and flip flops. Ricco give me a shout if you need a hand washing that car, you can never start on your tan to soon.:lol: Noo Whaurs that.....beach towel... ;)
psyberyeti
21-Dec-07, 18:51
No, it's not the shortest day. It's nearly 24 hours like all of the others.:lol:
I can't wait until the days get longer, all this darkness gets me down.
How interesting - Elenna is quite right, it's tomorrow. I always thought it was a fixed day each year but apparently not, see also
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.3843#solstice
I thought -until now -it was a fixed date and just me that couldn't remember whether it was the 21st or the 22nd. :confused
Can't wait for the days to start lengthening - usually about the third week in January before I notice any real difference though. Right now I just want to hibernate and have to force myself not to... :(
chocolatechip
21-Dec-07, 20:02
It is the shortest for sure on way to thurso today the sun was setting by quater past 3.:D
Its always been the 21st as long as I can remember.
It is accepted that the Christian festival of christmas has replaced an earlier pagan festival which celebrates the days are getting longer. So whenever I see religious people complaining about the lack of Christian content in festivities, I have a wee chuckle to myself because they are failing to see the real reason for the festivities which is showing through, ie tis the time to be jolly, the days are getting longer.
Green_not_greed
21-Dec-07, 21:42
Nice for once to completely agree with you Rheghead!
Dec 21st is the Solstice. Lets look forward to long nights again and summer.....
GNG
Green_not_greed
21-Dec-07, 22:02
To add a little more information here....
(Source http://www.history.com)
The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many peoples rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.
In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun, fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year.
The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking.
In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid-winter holiday. Germans were terrified of Oden, as they believed he made nocturnal flights through the sky to observe his people, and then decide who would prosper or perish. Because of his presence, many people chose to stay inside.
In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, slaves would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun.
Also around the time of the winter solstice, Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring the children of Rome. In addition, members of the upper classes often celebrated the birthday of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun, on December 25. It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock. For some Romans, Mithra's birthday was the most sacred day of the year.
In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia. Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.
By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly embraced, but gave up the ability to dictate how it was celebrated. By the Middle Ages, Christianity had, for the most part, replaced pagan religion. On Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today's Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the "lord of misrule" and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand their best food and drink. If owners failed to comply, their visitors would most likely terrorize them with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could repay their real or imagined "debt" to society by entertaining less fortunate citizens.
Nice for once to completely agree with you Rheghead!
Dec 21st is the Solstice. Lets look forward to long nights again and summer.....
GNG
Actually it's not this year as you'll see if you look at the link I posted earlier, it's the 22nd. Very interesting last post though :)
bobandag16
21-Dec-07, 22:42
No, it's not the shortest day. It's nearly 24 hours like all of the others.:lol:
every day is a day not hours its how we can fill them . ask the old and sick.
northener
21-Dec-07, 22:49
I remember reading somewhere about Stonehenge - and our interpretation of what ceremonies may have taken place and when.
People tend to associate Stonehenge with the Summer Solstice, but recent thoughts are that we have got hold of the wrong end of the stick.
It would appear the the alignment of the stones make more sense for the Winter Solstice. This would make more sense from a social viewpoint as well. It makes more sense to celebrate the re-emergence of the sun as opposed to the dwindling of the sun.
So celebrate, good people!
.
"On Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere"
Not much changed there then......:lol:
Hello fellow orgers, i think today is the :roll:SHORTEST DAY;) am i right?
I'd always thought that Nanoo. The 21st sticks in my mind somehow - December shortest day, June - longest day.
I'm not about to debate the point though........ I don't have the time or the energy......
this is it the shortest day 21st
Green_not_greed
22-Dec-07, 18:16
I stand corrected today is the shortest day (22nd).
Can anyone tell me why it alternates between 21st and 22nd December?
GNG
Blazing Sporrans
22-Dec-07, 19:28
I stand corrected today is the shortest day (22nd).
Can anyone tell me why it alternates between 21st and 22nd December?
GNG
Just a guess but maybe for the same reason we have to have an extra day every four years? Is it any coincidence that next year is a leap year?
I was always told that the longest night was overnight 21-22 December, so that causes less debate ;)
I stand corrected today is the shortest day (22nd).
Can anyone tell me why it alternates between 21st and 22nd December?
GNG
GNG,
My diary said today, 22nd, was shortest. My OH half googled it and apparently the earth is having one of its wobbles again and this accounts for it.
I remember reading somewhere about Stonehenge - and our interpretation of what ceremonies may have taken place and when.
People tend to associate Stonehenge with the Summer Solstice, but recent thoughts are that we have got hold of the wrong end of the stick.
It would appear the the alignment of the stones make more sense for the Winter Solstice. This would make more sense from a social viewpoint as well. It makes more sense to celebrate the re-emergence of the sun as opposed to the dwindling of the sun.
So celebrate, good people!
.
Just follow the webcams through the day for a site a lot nearer to home which was built for the Winter Solstice. Obviously it is weather dependent as to whether the back wall gets lit on the 21st/22nd but with all the clear skies this year it did what the ancients said it would on the tin! Worth folowing the link to the Newgrange site in Ireland when you visit the Maeshowe one
http://www.maeshowe.co.uk/
northener
23-Dec-07, 17:55
Dammit.
Forgot about Maes Howe, I meant to have a look at the webcam to see if I could see the sun hitting the back wall.
Amazing spot, nearly crippled me getting in with me bad back!
.
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