It has been happening every year for 5,000 years. This year, it is streaming online

[L. Coyote]

The Winter Solstice Webcast, New Grange, Ireland, features the annual illumination by the winter solstice sunrise deep into a near 5,000 year old chamber. A room constructed nearly 5,000 years ago still has a functional hierophany, an interplay of sunshine through a stone window into a passage and chamber lined with engraved megaliths inside a large earthen mound.

More: To view the webcast go to the Heritage Ireland website (http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/Solstice2007/). The 2007 Newgrange Winter Solstice Webcast is the first time illumination of the passage and chamber will be streamed live. A Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre exhibition celebrates the 1967 discovery of the Winter Solstice illumination at Newgrange and will broadcast sunrises of the 21st and 22nd near 9 GMT. (from http://jqjacobs.net/blog/)



Google Earth Placemarks: http://jqjacobs.net/archaeo/sites/index.html#europe

[yardwork]

1. Thanks for posting this!

Happy Winter Solstice.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Thanks for this.

I really appreciate it, and wouldn't have known otherwise.

[SpiralHawk]

3. w00t

eom

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. 8:30AM?

which time zone? :shrug:

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. GMT - ie about 6 hours from now (nt)

[Viva_La_Revolution]

7. Thanks! nt

[L. Coyote]

6. GMT is Greenich Mean Time, EST is 8 hours later, not? After midnight, Pacific.

in about 6 hours.

[seemslikeadream]

8. Thanks you should post this in the Irish forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=298

[L. Coyote]

9. 3 hours from now.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

10. kick!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

11. The Megalithic Passage Tomb at Newgrange

The Megalithic Passage Tomb at Newgrange was built about 3200 BC. The kidney shaped mound covers an area of over one acre and is surrounded by 97 kerbstones, some of which are richly decorated with megalithic art. The 19 metre long inner passage leads to a cruciform chamber with a corbelled roof. It is estimated that the construction of the Passage Tomb at Newgrange would have taken a work force of 300 at least 20 years.

The passage and chamber of Newgrange are illuminated by the winter solstice sunrise. A shaft of sunlight shines through the roof box over the entrance and penetrates the passage to light up the chamber. The dramatic event lasts for 17 minutes at dawn from the 19th to the 23rd of December.
http://www.knowth.com/newgrange.htm

[Viva_La_Revolution]

12. I managed to stay awake for it KICK. nt