Winter Solstice 2024

While I am not one to celebrate the holidays that come and go each year, I do like to acknowledge the profound seasonal shifts we experience. Today is the the Winter Solstice... the day in which the Northern Hemisphere experiences the least amount of daylight. From December 22nd and onwards, our days will get longer as the nights get shorter.

These atronomical oscillations are meaningful to me, as they are the things that truly impact the life on our planet. For me, this shortest of days is a time in which I reflect on the life I've lived, the people I've met, and those I have lost...

May you embrace the changing season and light...

All Rights Reserved. Copyright Bruce J Leventhal, btleventhal.com, bruceleventhal.com

The Bear Dance

The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere arrived at 11:24 PM on June, 20 2017. Not one to celebrate the typical Judeo-Christian holidays, I prefer to acknowledge the comings and goings of natural events throughout the year. Crafted by evolutionary, geologic and astronomical forces, nature’s predictable cycles are the seminal moments I document on my mental calendar. The first buds, the shrill of a red-winged blackbird and the emergence of spring ephemerals are just a few of the endless phenological moments I chart. Thus, when the planet is aligned with the sun such that we experience the longest or the shortest day, I can’t help but take note. So, grab yourself a pint of ale, find a foggy forest, and bare your soul to the forces of nature; today is the solstice and it is a great day to celebrate.

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Foggy Forest

Nikon D810 + 16-35mm f/4 VR

©2000-2017 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

Postcard from the Solstice

Your place of origin and ancestry likely defines what you choose celebrate. While family history might influence what you call it, the days around the solstice likely marks important events for your life. Today is the Winter Solstice, the day in which the northern hemisphere is tilted farthest from the sun. On this day, we mark the transition from short days and long nights to a brighter future. Get out there and tip one back... it's time to embrace the rhythms of the Earth and dance naked under the stars!

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The Shortest Day

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, today is the shortest day of the year. Here, in Minneapolis, sunrise was at 7:48 am and the sun, obscured by the cloud of winter, is setting as I write this at 4:34 pm. While it is common practice to mark the season with Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or the New Year, the Winter Solstice delineates the astronomical transition into next year. 

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Where's Wisconsin? - St. Croix River

Nikon D800E + Nikkor AFS17-35mm f2.8

If you were a red-necked wallaby, patterns of gestation and oestrus are linked to this annual cycling between long and short days (Tyndale-Biscoe and Renfree, 1987); such responsiveness to daylength is known as photoperiodism. Many biological behaviors can be partially or entirely attributed to photoperiodic changes. When accompanied with shifts in temperature, photoperiodism explains annual biological phenomena like molting, migration, hibernation, reproduction and the development of sexual organs. While not directly related to vision, it should be no surprise to learn that the mammalian response to day length is linked to retinal light-sensitive cells ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photoperiodism ). 

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Late Fall Snow Melt - William Obrien State Park

Nikon D800E + Nikkor AFS200-400mm f4.0 VR1 

While the human tendency towards lethargy in winter and promiscuity in summer is probably an evolutionary relic, the astronomical solstice holds deep cultural meaning that extends back to neolithic times. The layouts of archaeological sites like Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland are aligned with the winter solstice sunset for the former and summer solstice sunrise for the latter. Historical ruins suggest that the early months of winter were linked to periods of famine, and knowledge of this impending loss of daylight had real implications for survival. Punctuated by a final feast, the winter solstice was an opportunity to celebrate life and a good harvest prior to the onset of coldest months. So while everyone around me is busy shopping online and in stores in search of the perfect gift, I prefer to take this time to reflect on the year that was and the year that will be now that the days are getting longer.

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The Tree : 12-21-14

Nikon D800E + 17-35mm f2.8

Happy Winter Solstice from Minnesota.

©2000-2014 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

Tradition

It has become my tradition to celebrate the Solstice with a camera. I have little doubt that the need to mark these transitional moments are deeply embedded in our biological and cultural evolution. Astronomically, the solstice marks the point at which the Sun appears to stand still in declination be reversing its relative position. Coinciding with mid-summer celebrations in June Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa in the Winter, this celestial event resonates with our species. 

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Summer Doe - Tamarac Nature Center, MN

Canon 1D mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

On this Summer Solstice I left my house at 5:00 a.m. in hopes of finding some interesting atmospherics to photograph. Surprisingly, this otherwise turbulent summer produce a quiet morning and the opportunity for some reflection. While others spent their Saturday morning in bed, I was out celebrating the season with some old friends.

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Party for Two - Tamarac Nature Center, MN

Canon 1D mark iii + Canon 300mm f2.8L IS

©2000-2014 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.

Happy Winter Solstice

©2000-2013 BTLeventhal.com / Bruce & Tamy Leventhal. All rights reserved. No image on this site may be used without permission.