Summer/Winter Solstice

A few questions for you.

1. In 2008, when was the shortest day? A. 21st December – The winter solstice.
2. In 2008, when was the earliest sun-set? A. Strangley enough not 21st December, it was the 12th December (Royal Observatory Blog) due to the Earths tilt and the shape of  it’s orbit.
3. If todays date is Thursday 4th October what will tomorrows date be? A. Friday 5th October of course, except in the year 1582 in which case it was Friday 15th October following a decree by the pope . (Pope Gregory XIII)

Why? I hear you cry. Well according to Wikipedia . “Since 45 BCE, when the 25th [December] was established in the Julian calendar as the winter solstice of Europe, the difference between the calendar year (365.2500 days) and the tropical year (365.2422 days) moved the day associated with the actual astronomical solstice forward approximately three days every four centuries” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_solstice)

This explains why Christmas Day is not held on the winter solstice. It used to be, but that was when the world worked on the Julian calendar.

Why am I wittering on about the winter solstice when we are in the middle of summer? A. because this Sunday will be the summer solstice (in the UK) but in the Southern Hemisphere it will be the winter solstice, a time for much celebration. In the Antarctic this marks the midpoint of the winter darkness and everyone starts to look forward to the return of the sun. In the Northern hemisphere it heralds the onset of shorter days and longer nights and was a very important festival for ancient cultures throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Finally, The Summer Solstice in the UK this year (2009) will be on June 21st as it will next year. What date was it last year? A. June 20th – this confused me at the time and now I know why (see Greenwich Observatory below)…

If you would like to know more about the solstice (and the equinox, rotation of the Earth etc) have a look at the Greenwich Observatory web site.

Male Health

This site contains information about key health problems that effect men, inluding tips and expert advice.

National Geographic

Search through a large section of topics that include articles, videos, photos, quiz’s and games.

Charles Darwin’s Blog!

****Breaking News****

Follow the online diary of Charles Darwin as he sails board the Beagle. Daily updates on his discoveries!

Follow Darwin’s tweets – http://twitter.com/cdarwin -history as it happens..

If your @ 1with your Numbers

North Wales on Flickr

Ever wanted to find pictures of your local area? Perhaps you want to find old shots of where you grew up or post your own pictures of Colwyn Bay (or Rhyl, Abergele, Llanrwst…..etc). You could simply search using Google Images but for more personal, quirky and perhaps more specific images why not use Flickr? You can search for individual images but better still you could find a group dedicated to the subject you want. Flickr allows members to create groups to which other members can add relevant pictures.

Here are a few I have found but there are many more; North Wales Coast, Colwyn Bay, North Wales Premier, Conwy County, Snowdonia.

To find a group in Flickr, click the drop down next to groups, select “Search for a group” and type in North Wales. From the list you find you can browse to find pictures you like.

A groups page on Flickr

Here’s a thing though. If you actually join groups and submit YOUR OWN pictures, other people get to see your work and comment on them. There is quite a community out there so why not join them?

What about the group “Daily Post North Wales“? If you post your pictures here they may even end up being published in the Daily Post. You could become famous!

Finally, of course you don’t have to restrict your search to North Wales groups you can find almost any group under the sun;

Antarctica,

black and white,

Burlesque dancers,

Marbles,

Road signs,

shoes,

Red Dwarf,

Library,

Maths (yes, really!),

Dance…..

History of Easter and Easter Eggs

Coleg Llandrillo and Liverpool Astronomy Society Event

Will be held at Lyn Brenig this Friday March 20th as part of the International Year of Astronomy. This will be open to the public and is free to attend. The event syarts at 7pm.

It’s the End of the World as we Know it

more about "It’s the End of the World as we Know it", posted with vodpod