Zimbabwe Sunset
Credit & Copyright:
Murray Alexander
Today's scheduled geocentric astronomical
event is the Solstice, with the
Sun reaching its northernmost
declination at 13 hours 24 minutes
Universal Time.
For denizens of planet Earth this Solstice
marks the beginning of
Summer in the northern
hemisphere and Winter in
the south.
Of course,
the
tilt of the Earth's axis of rotation
(and not
a change in the Earth-Sun distance) is mainly responsible for the changing
seasons and the Sun's yearly north-south motion through the sky.
Following the rising
and setting points of the Sun along
the horizon is one way to track
the Sun's progress along its
seasonal cycle.
Tall grasses and tinted clouds frame this dramatic view of
the setting Sun approaching the northern limit of this year's
seasonal journey as seen near Raffingora,
Zimbabwe.