* Astronomy

Twice a year there is a moment - in fact, a few days - when the sun seems to "stand still" in the heavens. From the Latin sol stasis we derive our name for these events: solstices. In our calendar, they mark the beginning of winter and summer. This year, at 1:08 a.m. on Saturday, the sun will stop its retreat from those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere. It will begin its return to us, and the hours of light will lengthen each day until the summer solstice in June.
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Twenty sun worshippers braved the cold to mark the winter solstice at Avebury (Wilthsire, England). Druid keeper of the stones Terry Dobney led a ceremony marking the important day on the pagan calendar. While fog hid the sun, the group formed a circle within the stones.
Further south, confusion reigned at Stonehenge as English Heritage told a crowd assembled there that the solstice was not officially on until today. About 60 people turned up to the circle in south Wiltshire, cloaked in frost and fog, only to be told it was the wrong day. Some had turned up in flowing robes while others were wearing lovingly-crafted winter solstice wreaths decorated with berries and ivy. After negotiating with site managers English Heritage, the crowd performed traditional solstice activities before leaving peacefully.
The Pagan celebration of Winter Solstice is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world. An English Heritage spokeswoman said most people assumed that because the summer solstice was on the 21st day of June that its winter counterpart occurred on the same date in December. Many people think it always falls on December 21. However, the solstice varies and the time when it ought to be celebrated is open to different interpretations. The astronomical moment of the solstice was actually at 22 minutes past midnight on 22 December - and so English Heritage and many pagans believed the solstice celebration ought to have been celebrated at sunrise that morning. They had asked celebrants to arrive at 7.45am on the 22nd.
The winter solstice tends to be more muted than its summer equivalent anyway. Almost 20,000 people showed up this summer at Stonehenge whereas last year 1,500 came to the winter version.
The same day, for 17 magical minutes starting at 8.58am, the inner chamber of the ancient tomb at Newgrange, Co Meath (Ireland), was illuminated on the shortest day of the year. Inside, a small group of 18 officials, academics, scientists, dignitaries and members of the public watched enthralled on a cloudless morning as the rising sun's rays crept along the 19-metre long passage way before bursting brightly into the cavelike centre.
Up to 50,000 people applied to be included in the occasion but only a lucky few had their names drawn for the privilege by local schoolchildren. A further 80 won places in the chamber over two days, each side of yesterday's event, giving them a good insight into the annual experience.

Source: BBC News

Crowds gather for Newgrange Solstice
One of the most mysterious sites of ancient Ireland will this morning attract devotees keen to observe the first light of the Winter Solstice.
Thousands are believed to have applied for permission to witness the first rays of light creep through the ancient monument at Newgrange, but only a handful are lucky enough to have been allowed access to the structure’s main chamber.
Many more are expected to gather near the Co Meath site to mark the shortest day of the year.

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Fires were lit at a modern stone circle in Aberdeenshire (Scotland) to mark the winter solstice. The Breemie stones, at Broomhill, by Lyne of Skene, attracted people for quiet reflection as they watched the sun set on the shortest day of the year. Organisers of the gathering asked people to take along wood to fuel four fires.
Jason Schroeder, who erected the stone circle, urged visitors to write down experiences they did not want to live through again on a piece of paper before burning the messages in the central fire. Mr Schroeder, originally from South Africa, said around 3,500 revellers turned up at his previous summer solstice at the stones.
The ceremony started at sunset and was due to end around 10pm. Visitors were told not to bring alcohol or to camp at the site but urged to take along musical instruments to add to the entertainment.
The 11 granite stones were placed in a circle more than 20 yards across at Broomhill in May last year by Mr Schroeder and land owner Alan Brownie.

Good fun was had by all.

Source: The Press and Journal