It dawns on Druids they're a day early for solstice

[depakid]

Pagan worshippers who braved freezing temperatures to celebrate the winter solstice at Stonehenge were dismayed to discover that they had turned up on the wrong day.

About 300 people dressed in robes met at the stone circle on Monday to greet the rising of the sun on the shortest day of the year. Unfortunately, their calculations were slightly out. They had arrived 24 hours early.

The winter solstice occurs when the tilt of the Earth's axis is at its furthest from the sun, resulting in the fewest hours of sunlight of the year.

More often than not the solstice falls on December 21 but the exact time varies each year.

The 2009 solstice fell at precisely 5.47pm on Monday, meaning that, because the sun had already set, the official celebrations should have taken place at sunrise on Tuesday. Hundreds of enthusiastic worshippers, who had arrived at Stonehenge before dawn on Monday, went ahead and celebrated anyway.

English Heritage, which manages the ancient site in Wiltshire, opened the gates and welcomed the worshippers despite the miscalculation.

A spokesman for English Heritage said: ''About 300 people turned up a day early on Monday morning.

More: http://www.smh.com.au/world/it-dawns-on-druids-theyre-a-day-early-for-solstice-20091223-ldfa.html

Oops...

[Better Today]

1. I'm a little confused, how is 8+ hours before the perfect time better

than 13+ hours after the time? Seems like either would be fine.

[Kali]

2. probably supposed to be the first sunrise after

[rurallib]

3. So - will the Sun strike them dead as blasphemers?

[Blues Heron]

4. they better wear sunscreen!!

[Dr. Strange]

5. So, even the druids didn't know what they were doing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlf5ucFanpY

[TZ]

10. This reply goes to11!

:woohoo:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. No one could have predicted that these people wouldn't be on top of things.

[leftofcool]

9. Thanks. My laugh for the day, and I needed it.

[derby378]

7. It could have been worse...

When Pope Gregory instituted the solar calendar that Americans and most Europeans use today, it shortened the year by 11 days, leading a lot of superstitious folk to believe that their lives had been shortened by 11 days.

There were quite a few "Give us back our 11 days" demonstrations. I suppose they were not unlike the teabagger rallies today.

[depakid]

12. "Give us back our 11 days" demonstrations!"

:rofl:

Crossing the dateline to Oz this last time- I lost a Tuesday- I want it back!

[Subdivisions]

8. And yet the Universe is still here, and us with it. n/t

[SpiralHawk]

13. Yeah, but things just aren't the same anymore

Didja ever notice? I mean, stuff has changed and stuff.

[comrade snarky]

11. They arrived to celebrate the solstice

At one of the worlds biggest and rockiest calenders on the wrong day?

Did no one think to check it beforehand?