Friday, June 21, 2013

Going to the Beach


I'm heading the the beach this weekend.  It's a family trip, so it's not really my ideal of a vacation, but I'm going to do my best to have a great time.  The beaches of the Florida Gulf Coast don't exactly look like these: the sand is whiter and there are no mountains.    However, hopefully I will see some sights like the ones in this picture.

The longest day of 2013 is finally here -- but this year, it comes with a twist.
While the solstice in the northern hemisphere traditionally falls on June 21 -- and this year it will occur on that date at 1:04 a.m. EDT -- it will begin on Thursday, June 20, for parts of the western U.S., according to the website of the Clark Planetarium. The time of the solstice depends upon your position on Earth and, as a consequence, where you are in relation to the sun.
The summer solstice occurs when Earth's axis is the most tilted toward the sun -- the angle is known as "maximum axial tilt." As a consequence of this specific orientation, the sun rises at its most northeasterly point along the horizon and also sets at its most northwesterly point in the northern hemisphere.
The solstice isn't the only big celestial event this week. Skywatchers are gearing up for the arrival of the 2013 supermoon, which is set to peak June 22-23 and deliver the biggest, brightest moon of the year.

4 comments:

silvereagle said...

Have a great trip to Panama City, Destin, and all other places there....and be sure to enjoy the beach BUNS as depicted in the photo!!!!!

Scott said...

Hit up Ft Walton...lots of eye candy, and though crowded during the summer, its very family oriented...in both meanings of the term. :)

Soul Yaoi said...

Have fun! Miss the beach.

Anonymous said...

HAPPY SUMMER SOLSTICE!