Complex Numbers

A Midsummer Daydream

Solstice today.

At least, it's today in my time zone. Australians have to be different, so it's tomorrow if you're in Oz, and winter instead of summer.

I mean, the event occurs at the same moment for everyone, but at different times depending on your location. It can all be very confusing, I know.

I know a guy who likes summer, but gets sad at the summer solstice, because it marks the start of shortening daylight hours. I can understand that. I always mark the winter solstice by noting that daylight will increase, but for some reason, I ignore the complementary effect six months later.

Probably an example of willful ignorance on my part. It happens.

Some people have a favorite season. I used to, I guess, but I came to the realization that you can't have a favorite season without having to experience the other seasons, too. I do have a most hated season (winter) and a most hated month (February), but that's about it.

Which is kind of odd, because, by some definitions, February is mostly in spring.

("Okay, Waltz, you need to get your head examined.")

No. Well, maybe, but not for that reason.

Astronomical seasons indeed go from solstice to equinox, or vice-versa. Summer (in the only hemisphere that matters) starts today and will end on September 22. It also features four, not the usual three, full moons this year; the one in August will thus be a Blue Moon.

Meteorological seasons go by calendar month: June 1 to August 31 for summer, September 1 to November 30 for autumn, etc. They do this because temperature and weather cycles tend to lag solar quarters.

And by folklore, in some cultures, the solstices and equinoxes mark the middle of their respective seasons, not the end points. Midsummer is today (again, being a hemisphere snob). Midwinter is at the winter solstice. I've never heard of midspring or midautumn, but they follow logically.

By the folkloric definition, spring starts around Groundhog Day, which is one reason why there's a Groundhog Day: will winter weather linger, or start acting like spring? (That rodent is wrong more than he's right, so it's wise to bet against him over the long term, Bill Murray movies notwithstanding.)

Similarly, Halloween (or Samhain) marks the beginning of winter by that definition. The actual date is closer to Guy Fawkes Day, but whatever.

Point being that as of today, per some definitions, summer's already half over.

Reason enough to be depressed, as if we needed another one what with... *gestures helplessly at everything* ...and all.

In short, the events—solstices and equinoxes—are objectively real transition points, but the meaning we put on them can vary.

Yes, I've written about this sort of thing before, notably at the last winter solstice, and made many of the same points. But I can't expect everyone to read every entry. Hell, I don't read every entry. Apologies to those who do, for the repetition.

But hey, this (astronomical) summer, we might get treated to a nova.   I wrote about it back in March: "Celestial Spheres"  So that's something for us astronerds to look forward to.

If, that is, we live in the northern hemisphere.