The Winter Solstice. Live Webcast from NewGrange, Ireland.

[alphafemale]

This could be a breathtaking event if the weather is right.

This is one of those marvels built by the ancient ones that shows they were probably much smarter than we often suppose.


http://www.newgrange.com/webcast.htm

[Kutjara]

1. I visited New Grange a few years ago.

Those neolithic barrows were built to last. You don't see stonework like that any more.

[alphafemale]

5. To be there "Live" for the event is done by lottery.

I can't imagine what a thrill it would be to be there in person for this event.

[Kutjara]

10. That would be fabulous.

When I went, it was just an ordinary day, but the guide who showed us around described how the sun shines in the entrance of the main barrow on the solstice, along the long entrance corridor and into the central chamber. We were standing in the chamber at the time, and just imagining the effect was spine-chilling.

[KatyMan]

14. We lived in Slane

which is the village just over the river from Newgrange, and I'm sorry to say we never visited the site, and we were there about 18 months! Big regrets on that.

[Kutjara]

15. I lived in Dublin...

...and only went to New Grange because a friend dragged me. Of course, I lived in London for 20 years and never saw the inside of the Tower of London, either. :)

[Thothmes]

30. No big deal

The winter solstice has occurred possibly as many as 4 billion times. Homo sapiens has lived through 150,000 winter solstices.

[Captain Angry]

2. You know, I build computers as a hobby.

I've done programming. I can configure home theater equipment.

But when I see what the Egyptians did 5000 years ago, it's frightening. Same thing with Stonehenge and other marvels.

It takes a lot to just make me awestruck to the point of becoming speechless. The day that I learned that the Egyptians had laid out the pyramids in the pattern of the Orion constellation, I was totally at a loss for words.

I'm impressed if I can balance a checkbook. These guys were calculating the rotation of the planet, the moon phases, the size of the planet, etc. Absolutely unbelievable.

[alphafemale]

6. I think most engineers today would be very challenged if they had to do such things.

Especially without the aid of speedy electronic calculations.

[Captain Angry]

9. My dad has a masters in physics and can still sling a slide rule.

He's the smartest guy I've ever met. And I don't think HE could do some of this stuff. (But, then again, he never ceases to amaze me.)

[alphafemale]

22. And when you consider those folks probably didn't even have anything NEAR a slide rule.

They sketched this out in the dirt or on slates.

I think it would be interesting to see if some of our best engineers of today could be as dead on with a design without aid of modern electronic aids. They could just put up a temporary structure of plywood or something.

Just to see if they could do it.

[Captain Angry]

24. Most modern engineers are pretty amazing.

But if they were told from scratch to figure out the circumference of the earth without tools, I don't know how many would pull it off.

[muriel_volestrangler]

27. Define 'tools'

Is a plumbline a tool? A protractor? Yeah, you'd be pretty stuck without those, but so would the ancient Greeks.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

3. thank you for posting this

it is very peaceful to my soul.

[alphafemale]

8. You're welcome.

:hi:

I guessed it would be appreciated here.

[ClayZ]

4. K & R

[oldgrowth]

7. Do I have the time down 12:30am PT and 3:30 am ET

The live stream will begin at 8.30gmt am on 21st and 22nd December 2007.

To view the webcast you will require Windows Media Player.
:dilemma:

[alphafemale]

11. The chamber is illuminated from 8:58-9:15am GMT 3:58-4:15am EST

From the site.

If conditions are good the rising sun will illuminate the passage and chamber between 8:58am and 9:15am GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).

[xchrom]

12. recommend

[zippy890]

13. wonderful post

thanks. so fascinating

[wovenpaint]

16. Awesome-thanks for sharing this

K&R - and bookmarked for the morning. Thank you!
This year I've really noticed the darkness and it's affect on us, so I can't wait to see the light return.

[Solly Mack]

17. wonderful

thanks!

[malaise]

18. Thanks

I sent this to some family and friends

[blogslut]

19. Thank you!

I did not know about this place. Thank you for informing me. :)

[muriel_volestrangler]

20. Forecasts for Saturday morning don't look great, but Friday is good

http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/03969.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0031

So better to try to catch the Friday webcast.

[alphafemale]

21. Thanks for that info

I was wondering about that.

[L. Coyote]

23. A third of a world time diference here. Google Earth placemarks at this site.

Google Earth placemarks for the newly updated, hi-resolution aerial images on the digital globe:

Bend of the Boyne sites, Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth:
http://jqjacobs.net/archaeo/sites/index.html#europe

[alphafemale]

25. I grew up in OH and those "Mounds" are pretty common.

Most of them were apparently just trash heaps.

Of course, a "trash heap" of a culture can reveal incredibly remarkable things.

The Serpent Mound though is another thing entirely of course.

[Webster Green]

26. That was awesome!

I set my alarm and got up to watch it. I had some problems connecting to the stream, but eventually it worked, and it was well worth the wait. I would love to go there and see it sometime.

Thanks for posting this!

[skip fox]

28. kick . . . Let's keep this front and center for a day!

The web at its best: both the broadcast and someone informing us about it.

[a kennedy]

29. kick

[alphafemale]

31. You can also view a recorded broadcast of the event through the posted link. nt

[alphafemale]

32. The actual illumination of the chamber begins about the 26 minute mark.

If you don't want to watch the entire thing.

[alphafemale]

33. Actually, don't waste your time. Only a few random passage shots.

Very disappointing.

[nonconformist]

34. Kick

[alfredo]

35. It is 6:21 in Ireland and 1:21 in the East US.

[L. Coyote]

36. less than two hours from now, 12:20 PST, not?

[LaPera]

37. TOMORROW _ The days start getting longer! Yay!