Thursday, June 21, 2007

Happy Solstice



Summer Solstice is here. It may seem an interesting or quaint day to remark upon, since we are so removed from our agricultural roots, however, up here it is a big deal. The length of the day in Anchorage today will be nineteen hours and nineteen minutes. There will be twenty-four hours of visible daylight. The sun will set at 11:40p to the north northwest and rise at about 4:20a to the north northeast. When the sun is below the horizon it will still be light, it will be twilight for those almost five hours. YIPPY!!!! This is the payoff, this is why we try not to leave Alaska in the summer. It is truly amazing.

Some folks climb Flattop, a mountain near my house, and mark solstice with a party. Tom has gone up several times. One time he got to the top and there was a group of kids from a local high school ski team that had parted out and packed up, and re-assembled a trampoline! Most folks just pack up a good supper and something to drink. In the past we have had a party on our deck.



This year we will be at Mighty Bikes, riding in the woods until about 9p, then maybe I'll get the family to walk back to the pass. What are you doing for solstice?


A view looking south last night at a plume of smoke from a fire on the Kenai Peninsula. That was taken at about 11:30p.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Summer Solstice to you also! WOW< that is alot of sun!! Does sound amazing for sure! Hard part is the darkness for so long!

entoto said...

OH, no kidding! You just keep busy in the winter and sleep more.

KGMom said...

I am always amazed at what a day without end looks like.
Several years ago, my husband and I visited Norway and were in Bergen--fair far north. At 11:30 p.m. it looked like early evening. Amazing.

Mary said...

That's amazing, Trixie. Wonderful photos! Daylight at night :o)

Happy Summer Solstice to you (a date late..)