Pagan Fire Show
Photograph by Konstantin Zavrazhin, Getty Images
A Russian pagan puts on a fiery show Saturday during Kupalo, a summer solstice festival held in a forest about 37 miles (60 kilometers) from Moscow.
(See "Summer Solstice 2010: Why It's the First Day of Summer.")
The first day of summer officially kicked off today at 7:28 a.m. ET, the beginning of the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
The summer solstice is a result of Earth's north-south axis being tilted 23.5 degrees relative to the sun, experts say. This tilt causes different amounts of sunlight to reach different regions of the planet over the course of the year. Today the North Pole is tipped closer to the sun than on any other day of 2010. The opposite holds true for the Southern Hemisphere, for which today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.
Published June 21, 2010
Solstice Celebration Circle
Photograph by Konstantin Zavrazhin, Getty Images
Followers of Slavic neo-pagan religious movements gather in a Russian forest for a summer solstice 2010 celebration on Saturday.
The summer solstice is recognized and often celebrated in many cultures around the world—in both the past and present, experts say. For instance, Stonehenge in the United Kingdom has been associated with the winter and summer solstices for about 5,000 years.
(Pictures: "Summer Solstice Marked With Fire, Magic" [2008].)
Published June 21, 2010
Solstice Fire Jumper
Photograph by Konstantin Zavrazhin, Getty Images
Russian pagans jump over a ritual fire during a summer solstice 2010 celebration on Saturday.
At high noon on the first day of summer the sun appears at its highest point in the sky—its most directly overhead position—in the Northern Hemisphere. But that doesn't mean the first day of summer is also the hottest day of the year.
Earth's oceans and atmosphere act like heat sinks, absorbing and reradiating the sun's rays over time. So even though the planet is absorbing lots of sunlight on the summer solstice, it takes several weeks to release it. As a result, the hottest days of summer usually occur in July or August.
Published June 21, 2010
Druid King at Stonehenge
Photograph by Matt Cardy, Getty Images
A man dressed as Druid King Arthur Pendragon conducts a summer solstice 2010 sunset service near Stonehenge in the United Kingdom on Sunday.
Pagan Fire Show
Photograph by Konstantin Zavrazhin, Getty Images
A Russian pagan puts on a fiery show Saturday during Kupalo, a summer solstice festival held in a forest about 37 miles (60 kilometers) from Moscow.
(See "Summer Solstice 2010: Why It's the First Day of Summer.")
The first day of summer officially kicked off today at 7:28 a.m. ET, the beginning of the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
The summer solstice is a result of Earth's north-south axis being tilted 23.5 degrees relative to the sun, experts say. This tilt causes different amounts of sunlight to reach different regions of the planet over the course of the year. Today the North Pole is tipped closer to the sun than on any other day of 2010. The opposite holds true for the Southern Hemisphere, for which today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.
Published June 21, 2010
Solstice Celebration Circle
Photograph by Konstantin Zavrazhin, Getty Images
Followers of Slavic neo-pagan religious movements gather in a Russian forest for a summer solstice 2010 celebration on Saturday.
The summer solstice is recognized and often celebrated in many cultures around the world—in both the past and present, experts say. For instance, Stonehenge in the United Kingdom has been associated with the winter and summer solstices for about 5,000 years.
(Pictures: "Summer Solstice Marked With Fire, Magic" [2008].)
Published June 21, 2010
Solstice Fire Jumper
Photograph by Konstantin Zavrazhin, Getty Images
Russian pagans jump over a ritual fire during a summer solstice 2010 celebration on Saturday.
Pagan Fire Show
Photograph by Konstantin Zavrazhin, Getty Images
A Russian pagan puts on a fiery show Saturday during Kupalo, a summer solstice festival held in a forest about 37 miles (60 kilometers) from Moscow.
(See "Summer Solstice 2010: Why It's the First Day of Summer.")
The first day of summer officially kicked off today at 7:28 a.m. ET, the beginning of the summer solstice and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
The summer solstice is a result of Earth's north-south axis being tilted 23.5 degrees relative to the sun, experts say. This tilt causes different amounts of sunlight to reach different regions of the planet over the course of the year. Today the North Pole is tipped closer to the sun than on any other day of 2010. The opposite holds true for the Southern Hemisphere, for which today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.
Published June 21, 2010
Solstice Celebration Circle
Photograph by Konstantin Zavrazhin, Getty Images
Followers of Slavic neo-pagan religious movements gather in a Russian forest for a summer solstice 2010 celebration on Saturday.
- Kinda makes your solstice party seem a little weak, doesn't it?
Seriously, though, to those who observe the ancient traditions: Happy Summer Solstice!
1 comment:
Amazing Pictures :D
Thought you might like my King Arthur's Summer Solstice at Stonehenge machinima film http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wuNE5M01ME Bright Blessings, elf ~
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