winter solstice

11 Stories

Vt. Town Trying to Build World's Largest S'more

Middlesex is rocking its winter S'morestice

(Newser) - One Vermont community is celebrating the holidays and the winter solstice with a massive bonfire and what they hope will be the world's largest s'more. The Winter S'morestice takes place Saturday at Camp Meade in Middlesex and includes fire artists and dancers, music, food, beer and wine...

We Won't Have a Winter Solstice Like This Till 2029

And the last time we did was 2010

(Newser) - Today might feel like a long day, with America waiting to see if a shutdown comes to pass at midnight. But scientifically speaking, it's the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. That's because it's winter solstice, a day on which most of the US...

Check Out What the Sun in Alaska Does on Winter Solstice

Freaky!

(Newser) - The winter solstice is upon us, as of 5:44am EST, and as Wednesday is officially the shortest day of the year for everyone north of the equator, there's not much time to ruminate on an astronomical phenomenon we haven't seen since … well, last December. Here, the...

Soak Up Sunlight: It's the Year's Shortest Day

The winter solstice is here

(Newser) - Mondays always feel longer, but that's not the only reason today may be dragging. Yes, it's the winter solstice, meaning Northern Hemisphere residents will be tilted as far from the sun as they will be all year—so it's also the shortest day and the longest night,...

Why Last Night Wasn't Earth's Longest

It probably happened in 1912, thanks to tidal acceleration

(Newser) - The winter solstice officially occurred at 6:04pm EST yesterday, marking the first day of winter and the longest night of the year. But all "longest nights" aren't created equal, and the longest night in Earth's history likely happened in 1912. Here's why: The Earth's...

'Missing Piece' Emerges in Stonehenge Mystery

Landmark's location tied to solstices, not sun-worship

(Newser) - New digging at Stonehenge sheds some light on the ancient site's mysterious ties with the summer and winter solstices. Contrary to what some have speculated, the landmark wasn't built for some sort of sun-worshipping ritual, says a researcher, nor was it "some kind of calendar or astronomical...

We Need Darker Nights
 
 We Need Darker Nights 
OPINION
Dec 21, 2012 12:54 PM CST

We Need Darker Nights

Paul Bogard argues against light pollution

(Newser) - Tonight is the longest night of the year, and author Paul Bogard makes a plea in the Los Angeles Times : Let it be the start of a push toward darker ones. Light pollution is so prevalent in the US that those in their 30s might be the last generation to...

In California, Devoted Await Solstice 'Illumination'

Dazzling light planned by priests for sun-worshipping Indians: Expert

(Newser) - Let there be light. Just after dawn on the winter solstice, a 200-year-old California mission is bathed in such a dazzling blaze of sunlight that the altar appears to burst into flames. It's an annual "illumination" that draws the devoted, presenting what some observers consider awesome "special...

Scenes From Last Night's Eclipse
Scenes From
Last Night's Eclipse
Dec 21, 2010 7:57 AM CST

Scenes From Last Night's Eclipse

Mark your calendars for the next one ... in 2094

(Newser) - Those of you who hit the hay early last night missed a show not to be seen on the winter solstice for another 84 years: The moon, hanging high in the sky, turned reddish and went dark for 72 minutes as the Earth eclipsed it, reports the AP. Click through...

What to Know for Tonight's Lunar Eclipse/Winter Solstice

Here are a few tips for your once-in-372-years event

(Newser) - It's getting close to showtime, kids: The longest night of the year has begun (at least here on the East Coast), so bring on the first total lunar eclipse to coincide with the winter solstice since 1638 (NASA has apparently engaged in a bit of history-revision). Here's what you need...

First in 456 Years: A Lunar Eclipse on Winter Solstice

Spiritualists see energy, but scientists say coincidence

(Newser) - The longest night of 2010 could well be the darkest winter solstice in 456 years: Tuesday's solstice falls on the same day as a full lunar eclipse, a rare celestial occurrence that for some signifies great cosmic energies, reports the Montreal Gazette . Many religions associate the solstice with the rebirth...

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