Summer Solstice

Solstice Stone - Stonehenge, UK

Tomorrow is the Summer Solstice here in the northern hemisphere which means that on Wednesday we receive more sunlight than any other day of the year.  Naturally, you would conclude that this date would have the earliest sunrise and latest sunset, no?  

Don't jump to conclusions.  Even though the solstice has the greatest amount of daylight - the earliest sunrise occurs before the solstice and the latest sunset falls afterward.  The occurrence of those events is dependent upon how far you are from the equator – a function of the tilt of the Earth on its axis.  

Here is an interesting factoid – I went to the US Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department and looked-up the Sunrise and Sunset times for my location here at The Platz before, during and after the solstice. 

June 17 Sunrise 5:03 Am Sunset 8:38 PM

June 18 Sunrise 5:03 AM Sunset 8:38 PM

June 19 Sunrise 5:03 AM Sunset 8:38 PM

June 20 Sunrise 5:03 AM Sunset 8:39 PM

June 21 Sunrise 5:03 AM Sunset 8:39 PM

June 22 Sunrise 5:04 AM Sunset 8:39 PM

June 23 Sunrise 5:04 AM Sunset 8:40 PM

June 24 Sunrise 5:04 AM Sunset 8:40 PM

                                       June 25 Sunrise 5:04 AM Sunset 8:40 PM

Notice that the three dates preceding the solstice have almost the same amount of daylight.  The implication is that the solstice lasts more than half a week. 

 

What's the explanation?  Does it have something to do with our location being almost equidistant from the North Pole and Equator?  Or is it a consequence of rounding the precise times?

 

The notion that the solstice lasts for a few days or a week is a very common perception that even ancient astronomers noted.  But mechanically-speaking, it's a beautifully precise illusion caused by trigonometry and orbital mechanics.  

 

The earth orbits the sun in a smooth, continuous curve.  Because the earth is tilted on its axis by 23.5 degrees the angle of the sun relative to earth's equator (called solar declination) changes throughout the year.  If you plot this change on a graph over 365 days it forms a sine wave.

 

At the Equinoxes the curve is at its steepest.  The sun's position changing rapidly every day meaning you notice significant differences in daylight length from one week to the next.

 

At the solstices the curve reaches its absolute peak (or trough).  In calculus and trigonometry the top of the smooth curve has a slope of zero.  As the earth approaches this peak the daily rate of change slows to a crawl. 

 

During the days immediately preceding and following the solstice the difference in length of daylight is measured in seconds (not minutes); consequently, to our everyday clocks and senses it appears static.

 

While the "effect" of the solstice lingers for about a week, the astronomical event itself happens in a precise fraction of a second.  That exact moment is when the earth's axial tilt is inclined closest (or farthest) from the sun.  It is a single point in time occurring simultaneously for everyone on earth regardless of time zone.  For me that is June 21, 3.25 AM CDT.

Apologies for making your head hurt.

Buyer's Remorse?

If anyone had any doubts about the incompetence of President Trump and his administration the Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with Iran proves it.  Russia and the United States misunderstood the inability of military might alone to crush small nations like Ukraine and Iran.  Britain's King George learned that lesson 250 years ago; yet that historic parallel is apparently lost on Donald Trump.

There is no regime change, no obliteration of the Iranians' nuclear ambitions, no end to their support of terrorist proxies and no unconditional surrender.  Sure, the Strait of Hormuz may eventually reopen; which is a return to the status quo that existed on February 27 before Donald Trump made a unilateral decision to go to war.  While Iran suffered substantial losses they have emerged from a conflict with the world's most powerful military having learned they can close the Strait any time they choose; and force the world to bend to their will by means of economic extortion.

We gained nothing. 

Iran holds all of its enriched uranium and one solitary man set in motion a cascade of gravely destabilizing events that have had all manner of adverse consequences for global stability, security and the world economy.  All of this at a cost of thousands of lives, billions upon billions of dollars and diminished American prestige.  With global petroleum reserves nearly exhausted; Trump capitulated.

No matter how you spin it, Mr. Trump lost his own war.  

The final deal, if it comes, must hold every red line; no enrichment, full removal of the existing stockpile, verification with teeth, the Strait open and free, permanently.  

Redemption demands nothing less.

Friday Music

I used to have the vinyl double album More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies), that included this song; the 3.48 length version.

The original was recorded in West End of London at Regent Sound in January and February of 1964 with two demo versions with, and without, piano.  In a 1971 interview with Rolling Stone, Keith Richards disclosed that most all of the songs on their first album were dubs.   Whoever happened to be at the studio at a given moment would add something.  The group truthfully didn't have much control over the process.

Released in the UK the earliest version did not include the piano; which was corrected with the later release of the LP.  In June of 1964 the shorter edit, 2:47 in duration, was released as a single in the US and peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Tell Me.... 

Porch Birds

From the porch a couple of bird photos.

This one taken with a iPhone 14 Pro of a male house finch (left) and brown-headed cowbird (right) copping some seed at a tube feeder in the front yard.

And a trail camera photo of a female house finch indulging her sweet tooth with some grape jelly at the "oriole" feeder.  Which is also universally visited by all manner of other birds.

Be sure to come back periodically for more bird photos that are posted from time-to-time. 

I really need to spring for a good digital camera.  It would amp-up my distance shots of wildlife and nighttime photography.  If anyone has a suggestion leave a message.  You probably know how to find me.  

Stinker

Not unheard-of; but unusual daylight photos. 

No matter how you carve it up; we got skunks coming and going

Round trip… 

 

More Spring Color

We've been checking almost daily; finally, from our morning walk yesterday there was this.

 

Huzzah! 

Meet Iris Versicolor -commonly known as Blue Flag Iris or Northern Iris, Harlequin Blue Flag, Larger Blue Flag, Poison Flag, plus other variations of these names.  

Habitats include wet prairies, along rivers, wet woodlands, swamps, edges of ponds and streams and other low-lying areas along rail lines and roadsides.  It likes wet feet - and it grows naturally along the banks of Silver Creek and in low woodland habitat.  A beautiful and delicate wildflower it propagates by means of an underground rhizome.  Native cultures used the root for medicinal purposes.

In Greek mythology Iris is a personification of the rainbow and messenger of the gods - thus explaining the wide range of colors of this member of the iris family.

 

Sandwich Simplicity

Since we began our day with a different sandwich there is this.  When we returned from our walk in the woods the other day I was hungry for a snack.  Fresh from the garden I’ve been looking forward to this for a year already. 

There is nothing more elegant in its simplicity than the radish sandwich.  Hearkening back to my childhood this was a favorite of my father and remains a summertime indulgence of mine.  It is sublime.   

Ingredients:   

Garden radishes – sliced thin  

Two slices of bread - rye, sourdough, whole wheat - you pick. 

Unsalted sweet cream butter – room temperature  

Sea salt  

Instructions:  

Slather each slice of bread generously with butter.   

Top with radish slices.  

Cracked sea salt over all to taste.  

Yields one sandwich.

You can learn more about the humble radish here.