Halfway out of the dark

Halfway out of the dark December 21, 2015

This is a few hours early, but let me wish a happy and blessed winter solstice to everyone here in the northern half of the world.

Starting tomorrow, the days will get a little lighter.

Here’s Dar Williams with one of my favorite Solstice-y things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9H9Fi4Qcus

I loved this bit in the Doctor Who Christmas special a few years back:

On every world, wherever people are, in the deepest part of the winter, at the exact mid-point, everybody stops and turns and hugs, as if to say, “Well done. Well done, everyone! We’re halfway out of the dark.”

That’s very sweet. But it’s only half true since, on every world, wherever people are,* the exact mid-point in the deepest part of winter is also, simultaneously, the onset of summer on the other side of that world’s equator.

So let me also wish a happy summer solstice to anyone reading over around in those parts. Here’s another favorite seasonal song set on the 21st of December in Oz:

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* Here I’m describing every world assuming it’s set-up like ours — one sun, wobbly axis, etc. But there are, of course, many many other options and possibilities. I enjoy thinking and reading about such things up to a point, but they tend to approach the bit where astronomy starts to require a bit too much math.

 


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