14.3 Maiden Tower - Sunrise

Autumn 2006 (14.3)
Page 41

Maiden Tower
Sunrise - Winter Solstice

The word "solstice" means "sun standing still." At Winter Solstice, the path of the sun in the sky has reached its most southern position and reverses its path towards the north. It signals the beginning of the new agricultural year.

Year Dec Time* Sunrise

2006 22 4:22 8:00 am

2007 22 10:08 8:00 am

2008 21 16:04 8:00 am

2009 21 21:47 8:00 am

2010 22 3:38 8:00 am

*Time indicates when solstice occurs. All times are for Baku, Azerbaijan.

Above: Diagram showing the sun's path in relationship to the Earth at Summer and Winter Solstice and Spring and Autumnal Equinox.Since the beginning of time when agricultural settlements were established, farmers have realized that there were four important calendrical events in the sun's annual cycle:

(1) Summer Solstice (June 21st), the point at which the sun arcs highest in the sky giving us our warmest and longest days;

(2) Winter Solstice when the sun makes its lowest arc in the sky and days are their shortest and coldest.

(3) Spring Equinox (March 21); and

(4) Autumn Equinox (September 21), when night and day are equally 12 hours long.