Summer Solstice
If you were outside on Monday at 8:35PM, you witnessed something special. Yesterday, I saw the sun set and the full moon rise on the summer solstice on the North Lookout of Hawk Mountain. The last time the full moon occurred on the same day as the summer solstice was 70 years ago!
I watched as the sun dipped below the horizon on the longest day of the year. And within five minutes, directly behind me, the full moon rose over the ridge known as the Pinnacle. It was very quiet and very still. I sat and enjoyed the sight even though I knew I had a thirty minute hike back on a rocky trail illuminated only by my headlamp.
The Native Americans called this full moon the "Strawberry Moon". People gather at Stonehenge on this day each year. And it is said the Mayans pushed people off the pyramids on the solstice to appease the gods. None of that happened at Hawk Mountain last night - it was just another routine sunset and moonrise.
I hope you all got out and saw this special event.