Sunrise at Stonehenge draws Druids, pagans and revelers to celebrate the summer solstice
As the sun rose on the longest day of the year Saturday, a crowd erupted in cheers at Stonehenge, where the ancient monument in southern England has clocked the summer solstice over thousands of years. The orange ball crested the northeast horizon behind the Heel Stone, the entrance to the stone circle, and shone its beam of light into the center of one of the world's most famous prehistoric monuments.
The solstice is one of the few occasions each year when visitors are allowed to walk among the stones, which are otherwise fenced off. The crowd gathered before dawn at the World Heritage Site to mark the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, beating the heat during the UK's first amber heat-health alert issued since September 2023. Temperatures later topped 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in Surrey, 80 miles (128 kilometers) east of Stonehenge–the hottest temperature recorded in the UK this year.
About 25,000 sun devotees and other revelers, including druids, pagans, hippies, locals and tourists, showed up, according to English Heritage, which operates the site. More than 400,000 others around the world watched a livestream. 'This morning was a joyous and peaceful occasion with the most beautiful sunrise,' said Richard Dewdney, head of operations at Stonehenge. 'It is fantastic to see Stonehenge continuing to enchant and connect people.'
Stonehenge was built in stages 5,000 years ago on the flat lands of Salisbury Plain, approximately 75 miles (120 kilometers) southwest of London. The unique stone circle was erected in the late Neolithic period, about 2500 B.C. Some of the so-called bluestones are known to have come from the Preseli Hills in southwest Wales, nearly 150 miles (240 kilometers) away, and the altar stone was recently discovered to have come from northern Scotland, some 460 miles (740 kilometers) away.
The site's meaning has been vigorously debated. Theories range from it being a coronation place for Danish kings, a druid temple, a cult center for healing or an astronomical computer for predicting eclipses and solar events. The most generally accepted interpretation is that it was a temple aligned with movements of the sun–lining up perfectly with the summer and winter solstices.
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Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Al Arabiya
Sunrise at Stonehenge draws Druids, pagans and revelers to celebrate the summer solstice
As the sun rose on the longest day of the year Saturday, a crowd erupted in cheers at Stonehenge, where the ancient monument in southern England has clocked the summer solstice over thousands of years. The orange ball crested the northeast horizon behind the Heel Stone, the entrance to the stone circle, and shone its beam of light into the center of one of the world's most famous prehistoric monuments. The solstice is one of the few occasions each year when visitors are allowed to walk among the stones, which are otherwise fenced off. The crowd gathered before dawn at the World Heritage Site to mark the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, beating the heat during the UK's first amber heat-health alert issued since September 2023. Temperatures later topped 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in Surrey, 80 miles (128 kilometers) east of Stonehenge–the hottest temperature recorded in the UK this year. About 25,000 sun devotees and other revelers, including druids, pagans, hippies, locals and tourists, showed up, according to English Heritage, which operates the site. More than 400,000 others around the world watched a livestream. 'This morning was a joyous and peaceful occasion with the most beautiful sunrise,' said Richard Dewdney, head of operations at Stonehenge. 'It is fantastic to see Stonehenge continuing to enchant and connect people.' Stonehenge was built in stages 5,000 years ago on the flat lands of Salisbury Plain, approximately 75 miles (120 kilometers) southwest of London. The unique stone circle was erected in the late Neolithic period, about 2500 B.C. Some of the so-called bluestones are known to have come from the Preseli Hills in southwest Wales, nearly 150 miles (240 kilometers) away, and the altar stone was recently discovered to have come from northern Scotland, some 460 miles (740 kilometers) away. The site's meaning has been vigorously debated. Theories range from it being a coronation place for Danish kings, a druid temple, a cult center for healing or an astronomical computer for predicting eclipses and solar events. The most generally accepted interpretation is that it was a temple aligned with movements of the sun–lining up perfectly with the summer and winter solstices.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Solstice ushers in start of summer 2025 on Saturday
RIYADH: The summer solstice, which marks the season's astronomical beginning, will take place on Saturday, June 21, according to the Jeddah Astronomical Society. The Kingdom will witness the solstice at 5.42 a.m. Makkah time, when the sun will be directly overhead above the Tropic of Cancer, latitude . The skies of the Kingdom and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere will witness the summer solstice Saturday at 5:42 am Makkah time. At this moment, the sun will be directly overhead above the Tropic of Cancer, latitude 23.5 degrees north. This year, the summer will last for 93 days. Majed Abu Zahra, head of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, said: 'On this day, the sun rises from the far northeast and sets in the far northwest. At noon, the shadows of objects are the shortest of the year, and the sun's apparent path takes its highest arc northward, placing it at its highest altitude in the sky during the year, especially in areas north of the equator.' The summer solstice occurs when the sun reaches its apparent northernmost point in the sky. This coincides with the Earth reaching a position in its orbit where its axis is tilted at the maximum angle (23.5 degrees) toward the sun, causing the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the situation is reversed. Abu Zahra added: 'The summer solstice does not occur on the same day every year, but rather between June 20 and 22, due to the difference between the calendar year (365 days) and the tropical year (365.2422 days), along with the gravitational effects of the moon and planets and the slight fluctuations in the Earth's rotation, which are compensated for by adding a leap day every four years.' He said it was important to differentiate between the astronomical summer and climatic summer. Meteorologists consider summer to extend from June 1 to August 31, while in astronomy, summer begins when the sun reaches its maximum altitude — the day of the summer solstice. Abu Zahra said although this was the longest day of the year in terms of the number of hours of sunlight, it was not necessarily the hottest. This is because the oceans, land and atmosphere take time to absorb and store solar energy, and then release it again. This delay in the perception of heat is known as 'seasonal lag,' so temperatures typically peak in July or August. Ancient Greek scholars, led by Eratosthenes, used their observations on the summer solstice to calculate the Earth's circumference with amazing accuracy using simple geometric principles. After the summer solstice, the sun will appear to move southward again in the sky, and daylight hours will gradually decrease until the autumnal equinox on Sept. 22.
Arab News
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Book Review: ‘Brief Answers to the Big Questions'
Stephen Hawking's 'Brief Answers to the Big Questions' is a fascinating and thought-provoking exploration of science's most profound mysteries, offering insights into the origins of the universe and humanity's place within it. Published in 2018, this final work by the renowned physicist combines complex scientific ideas with accessible explanations, making it a must-read for anyone curious about the cosmos. Hawking begins by addressing how the universe came into existence. He explains that the laws of physics are sufficient to describe the universe's origins, suggesting that it could arise from a state of nothingness due to the balance of positive and negative energy. By linking this to the nature of time, which began alongside the universe itself, he offers a perspective grounded in scientific reasoning. The book also delves into the evolution of the universe and the evidence supporting it. Hawking discusses how the redshift of light from distant galaxies confirms the universe's expansion, while the cosmic microwave background radiation provides a glimpse into its dense, hot beginnings. Through the anthropic principle, he demonstrates how the unique conditions of our universe make life possible, underscoring how rare such conditions are. Hawking also considers the possibility of extraterrestrial life, suggesting that while life may exist elsewhere, intelligent civilizations are unlikely to be nearby or at the same stage of development. He cautions against attempts to communicate with alien life, warning that such interactions could pose risks to humanity. One of the book's most intriguing sections explores black holes. Hawking examines their immense density, the singularity at their core, and the paradox of information loss. He explains how black holes might release information as they evaporate, preserving the fundamental laws of physics. Beyond its scientific insights, the book is a call to action. Hawking urges readers to prioritize scientific progress, safeguard the planet, and prepare for the challenges of the future. Though some sections may challenge non-experts, 'Brief Answers to the Big Questions' remains accessible, inspiring, and deeply insightful — a fitting conclusion to Hawking's extraordinary legacy.
