To celebrate the recent summer solstice, residents of Poznań, Poland gathered to break the country’s record for releasing paper lanterns by setting 8,000 of the glowing lights aloft. More. (via) [more inside]
posted by crunchland on Jul 1, 2011 - 39 comments

Year On Earth breaks it down, explaining the complicated mechanics involved in trying to determine how long a year really is, why seasons and ice ages happen, and how not all years are created equal.
posted by loquacious on Jul 5, 2010 - 22 comments

Justin Quinnell takes pinhole photographs[pdf] with six month exposures, for example: Bristol from the Winter to the Summer solstice, if you like them, why not try it yourself?
posted by nfg on Jan 9, 2009 - 31 comments

At dawn on the winter solstice, the passage and chamber of the megalithic passage tomb at Newgrange are illuminated for 17 minutes by a shaft of sunlight entering through the roofbox above the entrance. The builders of Newgrange achieved this precise alignment over 5,000 years ago, 1,000 years before Stonehenge. You can watch the sunrise illumination on a live webcast between 08:30 and 09:30 UTC on Sunday, December 21st.
posted by homunculus on Dec 20, 2008 - 29 comments

To kick off the northern hemisphere's summer solstice, an old favorite from the original Eddie Cochran, The Who, Van Halen, Blue Cheer, Brian Setzer, T. Rex, Bruce Springsteen, yes, even Hanson. But wait, last but not least, Alvin and the Chipmunks.
posted by netbros on Jun 20, 2008 - 25 comments

Solstice/equinox calculations Been hankering to build your own Stonehenge but got stumped at the planning stage? Paul Doherty shows you the math to construct a modern ancient observatory with angles and facings correct for your latitude.
posted by Mitheral on May 1, 2007 - 5 comments

Nobody came to my Winter Solstice party I'm not accusing anyone, just asking why and what gives.
via the most amazing thing I have ever found on the internet, without exception, the spectacular, hilarious, awe-inspiring, truly monumental, brilliant and moving Leisuretown
posted by Settle on Apr 7, 2002 - 21 comments