SUMMER SOLSTICE

Today I visited Griffith Observatory to witness Summer Solstice from the vantage point of the Transit Corridor - think of it as Griffith's high tech version of Stonehenge.

Sunlight hits the Transit Corridor at 12:55pm on June 21, 2010 marking high noon and this year's Summer Solstice - the day the sun is at it's highest position all year long, also making it the longest day of the year.


This is the Transit Corridor. Laura Danly PhD (Curator of Education at Griffith Observatory) explained Summer Solstice and the Transit Corridor to observers and a cameraman from Channel 7 news.



"Like ancient monuments to the stars, the Griffith Observatory was built to create specific effects when the solar system is aligned for the solstices. On the summer solstice, for the Sun’s “local noon” appearance, at its highest position in the sky all year, the Sun’s projected image crosses the engraved meridian arc of the Gottlieb Transit Corridor on the west side of the Observatory. The solstice local noon occurs at 12:55 pm. The northernmost sunset and the end of the longest day of the year align with an engraved marker and stone line laid into pavement on the terrace. The solstice sunset occurs at 8:08 pm. For 2010, the Solstice is on a Monday when the Observatory is closed, but you can still enjoy the architectural phenomenon." (From http://golosangeles.about.com)

Some misc shots from Griffith:

A crow scares off a red tailed hawk infringing on it's territory in the sky above Griffith.



Greek Key and Arches at Griffith



The world famous Hollywood sign viewed from Griffith's front lawn.



Hikers enjoying a local trail below Griffith.



I have a thing for signage, especially those with icons or drawings. This sign in particular is very important in light of the terrible fires that engulfed Griffith Park in 2008.


Here's a link to a Wiki article about the Solstice.

Enjoy the summer! - Lydia Marcus :-)

Summer Solstice at the Transit Corridor, Griffith Observatory
© Lydia Marcus 2010 / www.lydiamarcus.com
Photographed June 21, 2010 at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, CA

Photographed using a Nikon D40 / Nikon 18-200mm VR lens.

TWO FRIENDS ENJOYING EL PUEBLO DE LA REINA DE LOS ANGELES

Friday I had a fantastic day hanging out with one of my old high school buddies Brad. He lives in D.C. so it's rare that I get to see him. We had lunch with two of his friends in Burbank, took a nice drive on city streets to downtown, and made an impromptu visit to Griffith Observatory where we each enjoyed a hot cup of Wolfgang Puck soup (Me-Butternut Squash, Brad-Tortilla) while dining alfresco with a full view of the wide expanse that we lovingly call the City of The Angels.

Here's some snaps from my Sony T100 recounting our fun.

Brad & Me in Burbank


Some lovely flowers - this shows how AMAZING the macro setting is on my Sony T100 - AMAZING bokeh for a point and shoot!


I snapped this pic out the window as we were driving down Glendale Blvd towards downtown.


We made a quick stop at Walt Disney Concert Hall and I shot this snap from the car.


The very famous Hollywood sign, viewed from Griffith Observatory


The Astronomers Monument on the front lawn. George Stanley, one of the artists who created this work in 1934, was also the creator of the famous "Oscar" statuette. The monument features six of the greatest astronomers of all time: Hipparchus; Copernicus; Galilei; Kepler; Newton; and Herschel (yah the one Jew!). Not sure which of the brilliant minds I captured here.


Calcium close up (another great macro!) - part of the elements display.


I love these shots of Brad! He looks so cute.




Brad got down on the ground to get this great shot of me. He encouraged me to get a little sassy and it worked!