Tuesday, December 18, 2012

SUMMER SOLSTICE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE


December Summer Solstice 2012
Southern Hemisphere





21 Dec 2012     11:12 (UTC)

Local Times for December Solstice worldwide

The December solstice is also known as the "summer solstice" in the southern hemisphere. It is the winter solstice only in the northern hemisphere.

The end of the world in 2012?
Many prophecies about the end of the world surround this date because it corresponds to the last day of the Mayan calendar.

What happens at the solstice?

The North Pole is tilted furthest away from the sun at the solstice.   The December solstice occurs when the sun reaches its most southerly declination of -23.5 degrees. In other words, it is when the North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun. Depending on the Gregorian calendar, the December solstice occurs annually on a day between December 20 and December 23. On this date, all places above a latitude of 66.5 degrees north (Arctic Polar Circle) are now in darkness, while locations below a latitude of 66.5 degrees south (Antarctic Polar Circle) receive 24 hours of daylight.

The sun is directly overhead on the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere during the December solstice. It also marks the longest day of the year in terms of daylight hours for those living south of the equator. Those living or travelling south from the Antarctic Circle towards the South Pole will see the midnight sun during this time of the year.

On the contrary, for an observer in the northern hemisphere, the December solstice marks the day of the year with the least hours of daylight. Those living or travelling north of the Arctic Circle towards the North Pole will not be able to see the sun during this time of the year.


The December solstice in the calendar
December 20 and December 23 solstices occur less frequently than December 21 or December 22 solstices in the Gregorian calendar. The last December 23 solstice occurred in 1903 and will not occur again until the year 2303. A December 20 solstice has occurred very rarely, with the next one occurring in the year 2080.

Seasons, Equinoxes and Solstices

Seasons Calculator – When seasons start
March Equinox Explained
–traditions around March Equinox
June Solstice Explained
–traditions around June Solstice
September Equinox Explained
–traditions around September Equinox
December Solstice Explained
–traditions around December Solstice
Equinox day is not exactly 12 hours long
As with the June solstice, the December solstice’s varying dates are mainly due to the calendar system. The Gregorian calendar, which is used in most western countries, has 365 days in a common year and 366 days in a leap year. However, the tropical year, which is the length of time the sun takes to return to the same position in the seasons cycle (as seen from Earth), is different to the calendar year. The tropical year is approximately 365.242199 days but varies from year to year because of the influence of other planets. The exact orbital and daily rotational motion of the Earth, such as the “wobble” in the Earth's axis (precession), also contributes to the changing solstice dates.


Over the course of history, many different schemes have been devised to determine the start of the year. Some are astronomical, beginning at the September or March equinox, or at the June or December solstice. Solstices are more readily observable either by observing when the midday shadow of a gnomon is longest (winter solstice in the northern hemisphere) or shortest (summer solstice in the northern hemisphere). The solstices can also be observed by noting the point of time when the sun rises or sets as far south as it does during the course of the year (winter in the northern hemisphere) or maximally north (summer in the northern hemisphere).

All dates refer to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Dates may vary depending on the time zone.

December solstice in relation to seasons

It is important to note that Earth does not move at a constant speed in its elliptical orbit. Therefore the seasons are not of equal length: the times taken for the sun to move from the vernal equinox to the summer solstice, to the autumnal equinox, to the winter solstice, and back to the vernal equinox are roughly 92.8, 93.6, 89.8 and 89.0 days respectively. The consolation in the northern hemisphere is that spring and summer last longer than autumn and winter (when the December solstice occurs).

The relative position of the Earth's axis to the sun changes during the cycle of seasons. This phenomenon is the reason why the sun’s height above the horizon changes throughout the year. It is also responsible for the seasons through controlling the intensity and duration of sunlight received at various locations around the planet.


Solstice’s influence on cultures
The December solstice has played an important role the lives of many people in ancient times. To this day, the world is still influenced by various traditions linked to the observance of the December solstice.

The Summer Solstice

Focus: Power, joy and courage, male potency, success, marriage, fertility of all kinds, especially for older women and for anyone approaching middle age; for happiness, strength, energy, self-confidence, identity, health, wealth and career; also for maximising opportunities, seizing chances and enjoying the present.

Keywords: Power, leadership, authority

Element: Fire


Direction: South

Energies: The high turning point as full power begins to wane from this day

Symbols: Brightly-coloured flowers, oak boughs or tall broad indigenous trees, golden fern pollen that is said to reveal buried treasure wherever it falls, scarlet, orange and yellow ribbons, gold coloured coins and any gold jewellery that can be empowered at the festival, any golden fruit or vegetables.

Animal: Bear

Tree: Oak


Incenses, flower and herbs: Chamomile, dill, elder, fennel, lavender, frankincense, orange, marigolds, rosemary, sage and sagebrush, St. John’s Wort, lemon verbena and vervain, any golden, red or orange flowers

Candle colours: Red, orange, gold








Crystals: Amber, carnelian or red jasper, sun stone; also sparkling crystal quartz spheres



Celtic Tradition:

Litha means light and Alban Heruin the light of the shore as the sun floods over the land ripening the crops. But it is bittersweet for the Sun God and Goddess who want the day to last forever. Because she loved him, bonfires were lit and sun wheels made of flaming cart wheels were rolled down the hillsides to prolong the light on this longest of days.

The Goddess, or her representative, cast her bouquet of summer flowers on a hilltop fire to add her power to the sun.

The cauldron was the symbol of the goddess giving forth her bounty on the Solstice and may be filled with small golden coloured fruits and crystals as coven gifts.

The height of the festival has always been first light falling on Solstice morn, like a shaft of gold across standing stones and stone circles, linking the dimensions.

Stonehenge is oriented to mark the sunrise and moonrise at the Summer and Winter solstices, built long before the time of the Celts.

Druidic ceremonies based, it is believed on Celtic ones, are held at Dawn and Noon on the Summer Solstice at sacred circles such as Stonehenge and some groups and individuals still keep vigil from sunset on the previous evening.

At sunset of the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge, another significant ritual point the Heel (Sun) Stone outside the circles casts a shadow on the Altar Stone, thus marking the beginning of the dying of the year.

Ritual activity:

This works as well whether you are celebrating the festival alone or with others and is based on an old Scandinavian folk custom.

At dawn set a basket of seven different species of flowers or seven different colours where they will catch the first light of the Summer Solstice.

 At noon each person should weave the seven kinds of flowers on to a small circle of wire, using threads in red, yellow, green and blue to attach them

As you/they weave silently name for each flower over and over again in your mind or a whisper your/ their dearest secret wish for fulfilment in the next twelve months whether for lasting love, a child, the success of a creative venture, happiness, travel, success , health or spiritual wisdom.

When finished the circlet/s should be hung on a shady tree and you/the group should circle the tree nine times deosil or sun wise, nine times in the opposite direction and then nine times deosil, clapping rhythm till the world spins, chanting’ Come to me as I dance the Midsummer Tree, come to me in my sleep, come to me in my waking, that when I next dance the Midsummer tree, I shall know the joy of the seven flowers sweet.’

If you are working alone you can adapt the chant to fit your desire, for example if for lasting love, ‘that when next I dance the Midsummer tree, it shall be my wedding day.’

At sundown take your wreath from the tree and hang it over your bed. Go straight to bed when it is dark/ Picture yourself walking as you drift into sleep  along a pathway of flowers into mist that slowly clears to reveal how and when you will attain your desire. This may continue in your dreams

Leave the wreath on the wall of your bedroom till it fades and then release the petals to the wind or use the flowers in incense

Other activities
Make sun water by leaving out still mineral water in a bowl covered with film or mesh from dawn till noon (or for up to eight hours on a darker day). Add clear quartz or citrine crystals to the water when you put it out (the previous evening if you prefer) and remove these at noon.

Use the water as an energiser in baths and drinks in the days ahead and to splash on the centre of your hairline to open your Crown chakra and clear your aura when you feel tired or doubt yourself.

Light a gold candle and set any small gold items of jewellery round it if the day is dark or cloudy until the candle burns though. If it is a sunny Solstice leave the jewellery in the sunlight after dawn for a few hours to transfer the power of the sun into your life as you wear the jewellery in the days ahead.

Cast golden flowers or herbs into the air from a hill or open place, a handful at a time, making empowerments for courage and achievement to the winds and naming for each handful a plan to begin or bring to fruition starting tomorrow.

Light sun oils, frankincense, juniper, rosemary, orange or benzoin or burn them as incense to bring the sun power into your home or workplace as darkness finally falls. Vow not to let the joy of the day fade from your life and relight one of the oils or incenses whenever you do feel sad or anxious.

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