Tis the Season of ... Saturnalia

Among other things, this happens on the Solstice

Joanna here, thinking about the Solstice. It’s the 21^st of December this year.

The Solstice can show up anytime between 20^th December and the 23^rd because the calendar in our cell phone or hanging on the wall does not fit neatly into astronomical reality.
Many of us have trouble adjusting to reality.

Thing is, the calendar counts the year as 365 days, even. The universe thinks it’s 365.256 days.

These thing do not match and no amount of refreshing your computer screen is going to change this. We are all playthings in the hands of the gods.

I suppose you could take a post-it note a quarter the size of one of the calendar days and let it dangle off the end of December. That would be more accurate.

Sagittarius, looking pretty cool

Anyhow, that’s why the date of the Solstice changes from year to year.

This year the shortest, darkest day of the year, the Solstice, falls on a Monday.

After all, it’s 2020.

On the Solstice the sun will move into Sagittarius. You’d say into the House of Sagittarius, if you think of the Zodiac signs as living in fancy houses up in the sky, which I am perfectly willing to do.

The stars of Sagittarius without the imagination. Less cool.

 

You’d think this means you can look up into the night sky and get a really good view of the constellation Sagittarius, wouldn’t you?

Au contraire, as the French would say.

When the sun is in Sagittarius it means it’s sitting on top of Sagittarius. You’d have to look directly through the sun to see the constellation. Sagittarius won’t be up at night on the 21^st. It’s going to be high in the sky at noon, hiding in the light.

 

So, you're thinking. That means the sun is between us and the constellation of Sagittarius on the Winter Solstice.
Well. It is.

But, y'know. Things ... change.

This is cool to see in person. Probably always has been

The sky is complicated.

2160 years ago, about the time Carthage fell, the constellation of Scorpio was tucked behind the noonday sun instead of Sagittarius in that place. Wait another 2160 years and the sun’ll be hiding Capricorn.

Wait patiently for 25,772 years and we’ll be back to Sagittarius again
having gone through the whole zodiac.

People figured this stuff out a long, long time ago which was very clever of them.

I think, sometimes, of our distant forefathers and foremothers out in the dark, keeping an eye on the ewes in lambing season. Maybe with a herd of goats and a couple of dogs, up in the hills, taking advantage of the grass that came with the last autumn rains.

They’d lie back and watch the night. They’d have names for all of those bunches of stars. They’d see the constellations circle the sky and know which was coming up next over the horizon. They’d know about what time it would rise in each season.

They’d make up stories to explain all this.

Eventually, some very smart folks figured it all out.

And the Solstice?

When the sun came up in the morning your shepherd lass would see exactly where it rose behind that crooked tree. Six weeks later it’d be a different place, over that rock or mountain peak.

Newgrange, where the sun shines into darkness for 17 minutes, once a year

It would repeat, exactly, every year.

And one day in the coldest months, the sun rose as far north as it ever would.

That was the Solstice. The longest, darkest night . . . but also the day the sun started coming back. From that time onward, every day would be longer.

5000-year-old Stonehenge marks the Solstice with great unwieldy rocks brought in with some difficulty and probably huge cost overruns. In Ireland Newgrange mesolithic tomb built about the same time does the same. And the Temple of Karnak.
So many stone monuments to the Solstice.

Really, it’s everywhere. Monuments to the hopeful day all over the earth.

We can be fairly sure folks celebrated.

Take the Romans.
What did the Romans get up to in this astronomically significant season?

Saturnalia. Because the dour old god Saturn is the perfect deity to kick off a couple day of outrageous fun.

It began on December 17 and lasted to the 23. Homes were decorated with wreaths and other greenery. Family and friends visited and feasted and exchanged gifts. Wax candles called cerei were common gifts, given to celebrate the light returning.

 

Saturnalia. A good time was had by all.

It was a time to let go of the established order of things. Men traded their togas for colorful clothes known as synthesis. In a topsy-turvy celebration of disorder, slaves were free of work and their masters might serve them at table.

Cattullus called it “The best of days.”

One good way to celebrate the Solstice

 

If you were to oversee a celebration of Saturnalia on December 21, what would you have people do?

Wreathes of bayberry and laurel? Snowpeople in scanty costumes in the front yard? A huge feast, but with all ancient Roman food? Body painting?

Traditionally, Saturnalia is transgressive, so you can be transgressive.

Maybe the boss has to bring everybody coffee.

It can be transgressive.

Comments

[Mary Jo Putney]

I love the winter solstice for it's marking the return of the sun. There are so many holidays of lights that mark the solstice. For many years we've gone to Winter Solstice concerts given by a folkish group of musicians. This year, they're streaming their music. Here's to next year in a concert hall again!

[Sue McCormick]

How family do not all have the same personal falith, so our "Christmas" holiday is actually a joing celebration of the turning of the year; even though we know that Solstice has just passed.

Of course, non of us do Saturanalia (although Bob and I attended a SF club party at a St. Louis motel in celebration of Saturnalia once), not did any of us convert to the more orderly worship of Zoroaster. We do enjoy our family togetherness at thist time of year.

[Jeanne Behnke]

I love this time of year - no matter what your "bent" - it's a time to celebrate & reflect. Isn't that a wonderful & uniting thought?! We all look to the light too in some way. I have all kinds of faeries on my Christmas tree and they're all sparkling. I do miss making music with all my other musician friends. Zoom is not music friendly.

[Quantum]

I would request a poem to be recited on arrival eg: (http://lonestar.texas.net/~robison/sat_poems.html)

A Saturnalian Villanelle

The cry of "Io!" resounds in Rome.
December's chill is in the air.
All toil has ceased; relax at home.

The time has passed for tilling loam,
And holidays should brook no care.
The cry of "Io!" resounds in Rome.

Adorn the hall with fir and holm.
Prepare a feast for all to share.
All toil has ceased; relax at home.

Beyond the door the slaves won't roam
For soon they'll sample finer fare.
The cry of "Io!" resounds in Rome.

Receive a gift of polished pome,
Or roll the dice if you so dare.
All toil has ceased; relax at home.

Catullus claimed in his great tome
The "best of days" was this affair.
The cry of "Io!" resounds in Rome;
All toil has ceased; relax at home.

Imaginative transgressivity would also be requested: hot tea in cup before milk; No small talk; ladies opening doors for gentlemen and using mistletoe to steal kisses.

Io, Saturnalia!

[Mary M.]

Little switcharoo here:

In Phoenix, AZ, we're a long way from Stonehenge, but we have our own special solstice celebration at the main Phoenix Public Library. Built relatively recently (~1991, I think), it was designed by architect Will Bruder to catch the Summer Solstice on the top (6th) floor. You can see something of this annual event at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o4kJKs7dT8&ab_channel=ThePHXTVClassroom%2Cformerlyknow99Television

Unfortunately, something went wrong with the roof when, a few years ago, an unusually torrential rain resulted in leakage that seeped down through the whole building, damaging thousands of books and documents. (Though fortunately, not the rare book room, which had been built to resist anything short of an earthquake.)

It took over a year to repair the building and contents, but it's open again now and Summer Solstice was celebrated in 2020 as usual.

[Lil]

I really like imagining that shepherd lass (or lad) lying there, looking up at the stars and finding patterns in them. It's not something I've ever done myself, but one nice thing that has happened in this weird year is that I'm noticing the seasons and the changes more. When there's nothing external to disturb the tenor of my days, I see more of the changes outside my window. At the moment it's icicles and animal tracks in the snow, so I'm perfectly willing to shelter in place and look forward to the coming solstice.

[Sue McCormick]

Correction: "Our family"

[Sue McCormick]

I love this poem.

[Karin]

There is going to be a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, the two biggest planets, coming to a climax at this year's solstice. They are already drawing close together, but due to the cloud cover and snowstorm I haven't been able to see them yet.
https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/great-jupiter-saturn-conjunction-dec-21-2020

[Annette N]

I am always happy when the days become longer....Go Go Solstice.

Body painting - I am trying to think of something that looks like a collapsed hot air balloon. OK - collapsed hot air balloon it is for me.

And the scent of bayberry alone is enough for a celebration. Isn't if amazing how scents can bring back memories of wonderful things, events and people?

I hope everyone is taking care and staying well.

[Joanne Bourne]

Up in the hills, a bit outside of town, there's usually a big bonfire. The parks have to burn brush and fallen trees and anyway so it all works out well.

Like your concert, it's been called off for this year.

I'm looking forward to 2021.

[Joanne Bourne]

Family togetherness is a good thing.

It might just be a Zoom togetherness this year, but it is very heartfelt.

[Joanne Bourne]

I am as far from musical as one can get. I envy those who can make their own and take joy in it.

I'm sorry for all the folks who have a traditional music festival or service with music that will not take place this year. Maybe the TV will make a great effort and fill in some of the empty spaces.

[Joanne Bourne]

... hot tea in cup before milk; No small talk; ladies opening doors for gentlemen and using mistletoe to steal kisses. ...

My dog has decided she wants "people kibble" on The Day. I'll have to give her a bowl of cheerios and milk. For some reason she is mad for them.

[Joanne Bourne]

Interesting program.

What a great working library that is. A place for some serious reading and research.

It would be cool to organize a zealous group of astronomy fans and send them out on the equinoxes and solstices to waylay the path of the sun through famous landmarks and public buildings.

I'll bet you a lot of builders put "Easter Eggs" of significant light in their designs.

[Kareni]

I look forward to the beginning of more hours of sunlight. Thanks for an enjoyable post, Joanna!

[Joanne Bourne]

Because we've moved so thoroughly into the comfort of our snazzy dwelling structures, we sometimes forget our ancestors lived outdoors pretty much.

Most of them would have watched sunrise and sunset most days of their lives. The sky was their ceiling, filled with interest, hung with significance.

I wouldn't trade lives with them, but I have some dim notion how much we've lost.

[Joanne Bourne]

We're still under cover here. I'll be looking out every night to see if I can find them in the next two weeks.

[Joanne Bourne]

I love all the pine and nutmeg smells of the year end.

I'm pretty particular about what scents I let into my house. I use unscented housecleaners, unscented candles, unscented laundry detergents. The commercial "enjoy this scented thing" is always too strong for me.

Now if only I could convince the dog to stop smelling like a dog ...

[Joanne Bourne]

It gets colder after the Solstice. Our worst cold weather hits in January and February when the daylight hours are actually getting longer.

None of this makes sense to me ...

[Teresa Broderick]

Sagittarius is my sign and my birthday is December 20th. So I'm quite near the solstice. I've never been to Newgrange (shame) as I'm only a few hours drive away from it. I'm putting it on my list of visits as soon as this awful time has passed.
I did see Stonehenge and got a pic from a distance when I was with my daughter in England a few years ago.
Loved this post!

[Joanne Bourne]

I've never been to Newgrange either and it looks fascinating.

Was at Stonehenge though. It was so long ago I was able to wander through the site when very few people were there. I could lay my hands right on the stones. My hands touching something my ancestors might have made thousands of years ago.

When my son was a child he got to attend one of the Druid ceremonies there. There was also a goat.

[Kareni]

Wishing you a very happy birthday, Teresa!