AMHERST – The public is invited to witness sunrise and sunset associated with the winter solstice among the standing stones of the UMass Amherst Sunwheel on Sunday Dec. 21, at 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Heavy rain, snow or dangerous winter conditions will cancel the gatherings.
Sunwheel events mark the astronomical changes of the seasons. The winter solstice marks the date when nights are longest and days are shortest in the Northern Hemisphere and the sun rises and sets at its most southerly location along the horizon, over the southeasterly and southwesterly stones in the Sunwheel, respectively.
At the hour-long gatherings, UMass Amherst astronomer Stephen Schneider will discuss the astronomical cause of the sun’s solstice or standstill. This refers to the fact that the sun appears to rise at a fixed spot on the southeast horizon for more than a week, and to set in a fixed southwest direction similarly.
Schneider will explain the seasonal positions of Earth, the sun and moon, moon phases, building the Sunwheel and discuss other calendar sites such as Stonehenge and the Karnak Temple in Egypt. He will also be happy to answer other astronomical questions. If it is clear before sunset, a solar telescope will be set up to safely observe the surface of the sun.
The instant when the sun reaches its most southerly apparent position occurs at 6:03 p.m. local time on Dec. 21. However, Sunwheel visitors who stop in on their own will be able to see the sun rising and setting over the winter solstice stones from roughly Dec. 16 to 26.
Teachers can earn certificates of participation for attending seasonal gatherings at the Sunwheel. Contact Stephen Schneider at [email protected] for more information.
The UMass Amherst Sunwheel is located south of McGuirk Alumni Stadium, just off Rocky Hill Road (Amity St.) about one-quarter mile south of University Drive. Visitors to the Sunwheel should be prepared for freezing temperatures and wet footing. Rain or blizzard conditions cancel the events. A $3 donation is requested to help with the cost of the additional site work and future events.
More: www.umass.edu/sunwheel/pages/project.html
