solstice – A Darker View

Winter Solstice

The winter solstice will occur at 18:19HST today.

The Sun has reached the most southerly declination it will achieve this year. After today the Sun begins to move north in our skies.

Today will be the shortest day of the year for those of us located in the northern hemisphere.

Today is considered the start of winter for most cultures in the northern hemisphere, or the start of summer for those in the southern hemisphere.

2019 Apsides and Seasons
Event	Universal Time		Hawaii Standard Time
Perihelion	Jan 03	05:20UT	Jan 02	19:20HST
Spring Equinox	Mar 20	21:58UT	Mar 20	11:58HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 21	15:54UT	Jun 21	05:54HST
Aphelion	Jul 04	22:11UT	Jul 04	12:11HST
Fall Equinox	Sep 23	07:50UT	Sep 22	21:50HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 22	04:19UT	Dec 21	18:19HST
Data from US Naval Observatory Data Services

A Second Chance for Lāhainā Noon

Lāhainā Noon is that moment when the Sun is directly overhead. At the moment of Lāhainā Noon shadows disappear.

The first Lāhainā Noon of the year occurs in May as the Sun is moving northwards in the sky. The second chance to see Lāhainā Noon is in July as the Sun moves back to the south.

The table below gives the dates and times for this second Lāhainā Noon across the islands.

Lahiana Noon for July 2019
City	Long.	Lat.	Date	Time	Elevation
Naalehu	155°35’W	19°03’N	Jul 27	12:29HST	89.9
Hilo	155°05’W	19°42’N	Jul 24	12:27HST	89.9
Kona	155°59’W	19°39’N	Jul 25	12:30HST	89.9
Waimea	155°40’W	20°01’N	Jul 23	12:29HST	89.9
Hawi	155°50’W	20°14’N	Jul 22	12:30HST	89.9
Hana	156°00’W	20°46’N	Jul 19	12:30HST	89.9
Kihei	156°27’W	20°45’N	Jul 19	12:32HST	90.0
Kahalui	156°28’W	20°53’N	Jul 18	12:32HST	89.9
Lahaina	156°40’W	20°53’N	Jul 18	12:33HST	89.9
Lanai City	156°55’W	20°50’N	Jul 18	12:34HST	89.9
Kaunakakai	157°01’W	21°05’N	Jul 17	12:34HST	89.9
Honolulu	157°49’W	21°18’N	Jul 16	12:37HST	89.9
Kaneohe	157°48’W	21°25’N	Jul 15	12:37HST	89.9
Waialua	158°08’W	21°34’N	Jul 14	12:38HST	89.9
Lihue	159°22’W	21°58’N	Jul 11	12:43HST	89.9
Data from US Naval Observatory Data Services

Summer Solstice

The summer solstice will occur at 05:54HST today.

Sunset among the puʻu of Mauna Kea — Sunset light and fog in among the puʻu on the south flank of Mauna Kea

The Sun has reached the most northerly declination it will achieve this year. After today the Sun begins to move south in our skies.

Today will be the longest day of the year for those of us located in the northern hemisphere.

Today is considered the start of summer for most cultures in the northern hemisphere, or the start of winter for those in the southern hemisphere.

2019 Apsides and Seasons
Event	Universal Time		Hawaii Standard Time
Perihelion	Jan 03	05:20UT	Jan 02	19:20HST
Spring Equinox	Mar 20	21:58UT	Mar 20	11:58HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 21	15:54UT	Jun 21	05:54HST
Aphelion	Jul 04	22:11UT	Jul 04	12:11HST
Fall Equinox	Sep 23	07:50UT	Sep 22	21:50HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 22	04:19UT	Dec 21	18:19HST
Data from US Naval Observatory Data Services

Waimea Lāhainā Noon Reminder

Today at 12:19HST will be Lāhainā Noon in Waimea on the Big Island, the moment when shadows disappear.

The exact date and time varies significantly across the islands and from year to year. The table below shows the time of Lāhainā Noon for various cities in 2019.

Lahiana Noon for May 2019
City	Long.	Lat.	Date	Time	Elevation
Naalehu	155°35’W	19°03’N	May15	12:19HST	89.9
Hilo	155°05’W	19°42’N	May18	12:17HST	89.9
Kona	155°59’W	19°39’N	May18	12:20HST	89.9
Waimea	155°40’W	20°01’N	May20	12:19HST	89.9
Hawi	155°50’W	20°14’N	May21	12:20HST	90.0
Hana	156°00’W	20°46’N	May23	12:21HST	89.9
Kihei	156°27’W	20°45’N	May23	12:23HST	89.9
Kahalui	156°28’W	20°53’N	May24	12:23HST	89.9
Lahaina	156°40’W	20°53’N	May24	12:23HST	89.9
Lanai City	156°55’W	20°50’N	May24	12:24HST	89.9
Kaunakakai	157°01’W	21°05’N	May25	12:25HST	89.9
Honolulu	157°49’W	21°18’N	May26	12:28HST	89.9
Kaneohe	157°48’W	21°25’N	May27	12:28HST	89.9
Waialua	158°08’W	21°34’N	May28	12:30HST	89.9
Lihue	159°22’W	21°58’N	May31	12:35HST	90.0
Data from US Naval Observatory Data Services

Hilo & Kona Lāhainā Noon Reminder

Today will be Lāhainā Noon in Hilo and Kailua-Kona, the moment when shadows disappear.

The event will occur at 12:17HST in Hilo, and three minutes later further west in Kailua-Kona at 12:20HST.

The exact date and time varies significantly across the islands and from year to year. The table below shows the time of Lāhainā Noon for various cities in 2019.

Lahiana Noon for May 2019
City	Long.	Lat.	Date	Time	Elevation
Naalehu	155°35’W	19°03’N	May15	12:19HST	89.9
Hilo	155°05’W	19°42’N	May18	12:17HST	89.9
Kona	155°59’W	19°39’N	May18	12:20HST	89.9
Waimea	155°40’W	20°01’N	May20	12:19HST	89.9
Hawi	155°50’W	20°14’N	May21	12:20HST	90.0
Hana	156°00’W	20°46’N	May23	12:21HST	89.9
Kihei	156°27’W	20°45’N	May23	12:23HST	89.9
Kahalui	156°28’W	20°53’N	May24	12:23HST	89.9
Lahaina	156°40’W	20°53’N	May24	12:23HST	89.9
Lanai City	156°55’W	20°50’N	May24	12:24HST	89.9
Kaunakakai	157°01’W	21°05’N	May25	12:25HST	89.9
Honolulu	157°49’W	21°18’N	May26	12:28HST	89.9
Kaneohe	157°48’W	21°25’N	May27	12:28HST	89.9
Waialua	158°08’W	21°34’N	May28	12:30HST	89.9
Lihue	159°22’W	21°58’N	May31	12:35HST	90.0
Data from US Naval Observatory Data Services

Lāhainā Noon

Lāhainā Noon is that moment when the Sun is directly overhead. At the moment of Lāhainā Noon shadows disappear.

As the islands lie south of the Tropic of Cancer there is a day when the Sun will pass directly overhead as the summer solstice approaches, generally in late May. There is a second noon as the Sun’s position moves south again in July.

The term Lāhainā Noon is unique to the islands, being adopted by the Bishop Museum in the 1990’s to describe this event. The Hawaiian term lā hainā translates roughly as cruel Sun.

The exact date and time varies significantly across the islands and from year to year. The table below shows the time of Lāhainā Noon for various cities in 2019.

Lahiana Noon for May 2019
City	Long.	Lat.	Date	Time	Elevation
Naalehu	155°35’W	19°03’N	May15	12:19HST	89.9
Hilo	155°05’W	19°42’N	May18	12:17HST	89.9
Kona	155°59’W	19°39’N	May18	12:20HST	89.9
Waimea	155°40’W	20°01’N	May20	12:19HST	89.9
Hawi	155°50’W	20°14’N	May21	12:20HST	90.0
Hana	156°00’W	20°46’N	May23	12:21HST	89.9
Kihei	156°27’W	20°45’N	May23	12:23HST	89.9
Kahalui	156°28’W	20°53’N	May24	12:23HST	89.9
Lahaina	156°40’W	20°53’N	May24	12:23HST	89.9
Lanai City	156°55’W	20°50’N	May24	12:24HST	89.9
Kaunakakai	157°01’W	21°05’N	May25	12:25HST	89.9
Honolulu	157°49’W	21°18’N	May26	12:28HST	89.9
Kaneohe	157°48’W	21°25’N	May27	12:28HST	89.9
Waialua	158°08’W	21°34’N	May28	12:30HST	89.9
Lihue	159°22’W	21°58’N	May31	12:35HST	90.0
Data from US Naval Observatory Data Services

Observing Sunset from the Summit of Mauna Kea

During discussions concerning a previous posting another aspect of the video of Ms. Pisciotta became the subject of the conversation. For one familiar with the summit and the position of the features, the claims seem unlikely, something worth a closer look.

Kealoha Pisciotta testifying on religious practice on the summit of Mauna Kea during a BLNR public meeting, video from Nā Leo TV

If you listen to the clip Ms. Pisciotta makes a very emphatic claim… That the construction of TMT will block the view of the Sun as it makes its annual pattern of sunsets along the horizon.

While I am singling out Ms. Pisciotta a bit here, she is a key figure in the opposition. She is a leader of Mauna Kea Anaina Hou, the most active opposition group and a primary participant in every significant legal case on the issue for the last several decades.

How can we examine this claim? From winter solstice, to equinox, to summer solstice, the position of sunrise and sunset changes significantly. This cycle has been tracked by shamans and priests for millennia, using the pattern to set the time of planting or religious ceremonies.

Continue reading “Observing Sunset from the Summit of Mauna Kea”

Winter Solstice

Winter solstice occurs today at 16:28HST. Today the Sun will occupy the most southerly position in the sky of the year. The term solstice comes from the Latin terms Sol (the Sun) and sistere (to stand still). On this day the Sun seems to stand still as it stops moving southwards each day and begins move to the north. This is the first day of winter as marked by many cultures in the northern hemisphere. Alternately, this is the first day of summer for those folks in the southern hemisphere.

2017 Solstices and Equinoxes
	UT		HST
Perihelion	Jan 4	14:18UT	Jan 4	04:18HST
Vernal Equinox	Mar 20	10:29UT	Mar 20	00:29HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 21	04:24UT	Jun 20	18:24HST
Apehelion	Jul 3	20:11UT	Jul 3	10:11HST
Autumnal Equinox	Sep 22	20:02UT	Sep 22	10:02HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 21	16:28UT	Dec 21	06:28HST
Source: USNO data Services

Summer Solstice

Summer solstice occurs today at 18:24HST. Today the Sun will occupy the most northerly position in the sky of the year. The term solstice comes from the latin terms Sol (the Sun) and sistere (to stand still). On this day the Sun seems to stand still as it stops moving northwards each day and begins move to the south. This is the first day of summer as marked by many cultures in the northern hemisphere. Alternately this is the first day of winter for those living south of the equator.

This year many calendars will mark September 21st as the summer solstice, and so it is for much of the world. Here in Hawaiʻi the solstice actually occurs on the 20th when considering the time zone differences.

2017 Solstices and Equinoxes
	UT		HST
Perihelion	Jan 4	14:18UT	Jan 4	04:18HST
Vernal Equinox	Mar 20	10:29UT	Mar 20	00:29HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 21	04:24UT	Jun 20	18:24HST
Apehelion	Jul 3	20:11UT	Jul 3	10:11HST
Autumnal Equinox	Sep 22	20:02UT	Sep 22	10:02HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 21	16:28UT	Dec 21	06:28HST
Source: USNO data Services

Winter Solstice

Winter solstice occurs today at 00:44HST. Today the Sun will occupy the most southerly position in the sky of the year. The term solstice comes from the Latin terms Sol (the Sun) and sistere (to stand still). On this day the Sun seems to stand still as it stops moving southwards each day and begins move to the north. This is the first day of winter as marked by many cultures in the northern hemisphere. Alternately, this is the first day of summer for those folks in the southern hemisphere.

2016 Solstices and Equinoxes
	UT		HST
Perihelion	Jan 2	22:49UT	Jan 2	12:49HST
Vernal Equinox	Mar 20	04:30UT	Mar 19	18:30HST
Summer Solstice	Jun 20	22:34UT	Jun 20	12:34HST
Apehelion	Jul 4	16:24UT	Jul 4	06:24HST
Autumnal Equinox	Sep 22	14:21UT	Sep 22	04:21HST
Winter Solstice	Dec 21	10:44UT	Dec 21	00:44HST
Source: USNO data Services