SUNWHEEL GATHERING INFORMATION

VERNAL EQUINOX 2009 -- SUNRISE & SUNSET GATHERINGS AT THE U.MASS. SUNWHEEL:

• Friday & Saturday, March 20 & 21, 2009
• 6:45 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (EDT) both days

The public is invited to witness the passing of the seasons by joining Dr. Judith Young of the U.Mass. Dept. of Astronomy to watch the Sun rise and set over the tall standing stones in the U.Mass. Sunwheel for the Vernal Equinox of 2009. The sunrise and sunset events will be held on both Friday & Saturday, March 20 and 21, 2009. Visitors for the sunrise viewing should arrive at 6:45 a.m., and visitors for the sunset viewing should arrive at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. These gatherings will celebrate the Equniox, the International Year of Astronomy, and 11 years of Sunwheel seasonal events for the public, which have attracted over 10,000 visitors.

This year, the instant of the Vernal Equinox is 7:44 a.m. EDT on the morning of March 20. For those interested in learning about the sky, there will be a presentation which will include the significance of the equinoxes & solstices, the cause of the seasons and phases of the Moon, the story of building the Sunwheel, and discussion of other calendar sites around the world, including Stonehenge & Callanish in the UK and Chichen Itza in Mexico. There will also be an explanation of the Moon's 18.6-year cycle, also called the Major Lunar Standstill. Bring your questions, your curiosity, and be prepared for freezing temperatures including waterproof footwear. The gatherings typically last 1 hour, and are held in all weather except rain.

Donation: A $3 donation is requested to help with the cost of the additional sitework and future events which are planned. Sunwheel T-shirts & sweatshirts will also be available for purchase.

Location: The UMass Sunwheel is located south of McGuirk Alumni Stadium, just off Rocky Hill Road. The Sunwheel can easily be reached from the center of Amherst, following Amity St. to the west, on the right hand side of the road about 1/4 mile after crossing University Drive.

More Information: For more information on the U.Mass. Sunwheel, click here. For more information on the Moon's 18.6-year cycle, click here. For information on other programs offered by Dr. Judith Young, click here.

DIRECTIONS TO THE SUNWHEEL:

For directions from out of town, click here.

For a map showing the Sunwheel on the UMass Amherst campus, click here.

DATES OF SUNWHEEL GATHERINGS:

For the dates and times of Sunwheel gatherings, click here.