Winter Solstice 2015

The Newgrange Tumulus in County Meade, Ireland, aligns with the winter solstice sunrise.

 Newgrange is a Neolithic structure predating Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids.

For those living in the eastern United States, Winter arrives tonight at 11:48. For all of us in the northern hemisphere it is the shortest day and longest night of the year. Personally I don't look forward to the freezing weather for the next two months but the thought of lengthening days brings a big smile to my face.

The arrival of this season and what civilization has perceived as the rebirth of the Sun hasn't gone unnoticed over time. If you ever wanted to know more about the science behind the solstice or these cultural responses. . .

Stonehenge

Newgrange

Maeshowe

The Druids

Google's Doodle

Saturnalia

The Feast of Juul

Yalda

and

Dia de Santo Tomas en Guatemala

. . . check out The Telegraph's article, "When is the winter solstice? Everything you need to know about the shortest day of the year."

Sources

Photos:
Newgrange aerial photo, worldheritageireland.ie
Newgrange plan and section, public domain illustration, William Frederick Wakeman, Wakeman's Handbook of Irish Heritage (1903), archives.org

Text:
wikipedia.org