Happy Summer Solstice

Imagine pony trekking to the top of the Island hills and gazing down on the sun over the sea.

Waves breaking on the beach in bright  sunlight.  Its 11pm going towards midnight.  This is the Summer solstice.  For once the wind is still, the midges not yet out.  Though its not very warm, we are only wearing light jumpers.  We are very far north and this is a good as it gets.  From now on the days get shorter until in mid winter there are barely 5 hours of dimmed light.

Though it feels as if summer only arrived last week, we hope it stays a while before it travels south again.



Interesting to note that the Full Lunar Eclipse was so near to the Summer Solstice!  The last full Lunar Eclipse was on the Winter Solstice.....

Any thoughts on that?

FULL LUNAR ECLIPSE auspiciously on the Winter Solstice

The most magical FULL LUNAR ECLIPSE auspiciously on the Winter Solstice, this morning, proved it was worth braving a frozen landscape to find the best viewing spot.

Surfing icy roads, we ended perched high up on the snow covered sea cliff just in time to peer at the orangy-redish the moonshadow slowing creep over the moon, through our telescope.

The shimer of the moons reflection over the calm ocean and the sound of the waves crashing far below made it an unforgettable experience!  WOW

Total Lunar Eclipse - Winter Solstice 21 Dec 2010

*weak reflection of the moon out from the sea cliffs over the ocean waters

 

Total Lunar Eclipse - Winter Solstice 21 Dec 2010

Total Lunar Eclipse - Winter Solstice 21 Dec 2010

Total Lunar Eclipse - Winter Solstice 21 Dec 2010

Total Lunar Eclipse - Winter Solstice 21 Dec 2010

This is the total eclipse hence no moon. It did actually leave a sort of redish, orangish moon behind but our frozen digital camera refused to record the 'moon shadow at all' - still we have our memories.