Solstice Sun Draws Thousands to Stonehenge Celebration

A multitude of observers welcomed the winter solstice at Stonehenge this Sunday, gathering to watch the sun ascend over the ancient stone formation. Drawn to the historical site, people cheered and danced as the sun's rays finally broke through.

Many of the attendees, some adorned in traditional garb, had assembled well before daybreak. They waited in the chilly darkness of the Salisbury Plain in southwest England. While some opted for quiet contemplation amongst the massive stones, others passed the time with songs and drumbeats.

For numerous visitors, this journey to the stone circle has become a recurring spiritual event, repeated each summer and winter. The monument itself, constructed between 3,500 and 5,000 years ago, was deliberately aligned with the sun's movements during the solstices. These dates held immense significance for early agricultural societies.

Marking the astronomical start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Sunday represented the year's shortest day for those north of the equator. Conversely, in the Southern Hemisphere, it signified the longest day and the commencement of summer.

Although the winter solstice brings the sun's lowest path across the sky, the occasion is widely celebrated as a period of rebirth. From this day forward, the sun's arc will gradually increase, leading to incrementally longer days until late June.