Summer Solstice: Here is Egg in your face

It’s summer solstice, the longest day of the year, the first day of summer.

Digression mode *ON*

You know the people in your town or on the news who make a big deal out of standing eggs on end every spring equinox?   The some perky news-person with really nice hair can be found on this day at a school where the children are getting their science on by standing eggs on end.

The reporter generally solicits or gives the “scientific” explanation of how it is only possible on this one day of the year because the day and night are exactly of the same length and the earth’s axis alignment (…..blah blah blah wrong wrong wrong….).

The obvious question might be “What about on the vernal equinox when the exact same alignment exists?  Well?”

The fact is eggs can stand on end on the vernal equinox as well.  And the week after.  And the month after.  They actually can on summer (and winter) solstice as well, when the alignment of the earth’s axis would be as far from the conditions of the two equinoxes.

Why is myth perpetuated as science?  We default into believing what we hear I suppose.  I for one have never felt compelled to stand an egg on end on the spring equinox much less any other day of the year, so I haven’t been out myth-busting this one.    But I found somebody who has, Phil Plait at Bad Astronomy. Some of these true disciples of science have gone as far as tricking the local news into doing a story of egg balancing on the solstice. Now that is funny.

Digression Mode *OFF*

Why the digression?

I’m blaming the view from a garden bench that I can honestly say I have not sat upon in the 23 year I’ve lived here until tonight. It isn’t every day I have the time to sit and consider these things; I made the exception today, after all it is the longest day of the year. 😉