== Invitation ==
[[Image:Milky_Way_from_Wikipedia.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Gazing out into the skies
<br>On the eve of the longest night.
<br>Here we dream with open eyes
<br>On the eve of a holy night.
<br>-- [http://www.ket.org/education/guides/hymnody.pdf Malcolm Dalglish, lyrics to "Psalm of Solstice" from the album ''Hymnody of Earth''] ]]
We're excited to invite you to a celebration of the Winter Solstice -- the longest night of the year. In terms of day length, it's all uphill from there, but there is an advantage to the darkness: you can see the stars! This year there will be ''lots'' of stars because the New Moon falls on the same day, and to maximize our chances of seeing them, we're traveling to the east side of the Cascades, away from the clouds and city lights.
More specifically, we're inviting you to join us at the full-size replica of Stonehenge in Maryhill, Washington. The original Stonehenge was probably a Pagan astronomical calendar, with the Winter Solstice being an [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1492482/Stonehenge-druids-mark-wrong-solstice.html especially important date]. Our celebration will include a simple Pagan-style ceremony to honor the cycles of nature, including a non-theistic version of "Silent Night" and the song "Psalm of Solstice" from Hymnody of Earth.
Of course, stargazing also leads to thoughts about the vastness of the Universe. Looking out into the depths of space is looking back in time, since the light from more distant stars has taken centuries to reach us, or millions of years in the case of other galaxies. To help us imagine these vast stretches of spacetime, we will describe a [[SolSeed Cosmic Calendar|"cosmic calendar"]] that can be mapped onto the year, with the Winter Solstice as its beginning and endpoint. The SolSeed Movement uses this calendar to celebrate the history and future of life in the Universe.
Afterward, for those of you who don't live nearby, there are [https://www.google.com/maps/search/Hotels+near+Maryhill,+WA/@45.7254896,-120.8375298,11z hotels in Goldendale and Biggs Junction], and if you have a warm enough sleeping bag, there's camping at [http://www.parks.wa.gov/543/Maryhill Maryhill State Park] on the shore of the Columbia River.
WHEN: 7:30 - 9:00 PM on Sunday, December 21st.
WHERE: The Maryhill [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Stonehenge+Memorial/@45.6863976,-120.815877,14z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x549629d310dc3439:0xfe2768b272519f62 Stonehenge Memorial], on Stonehenge Drive between Maryhill Highway and Lewis and Clark Highway.
== Planning ==
Relevant times
* Moment of Solstice is 3:03 PM (we won't be there yet)
* Sunset is 4:20 PM (probably not that either)
* Most likely arrival time: 7ish
* http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/visit/stonehenge-memorial: "Stonehenge Memorial … [is] open daily 7 a.m. to dusk. Admission is free."
** But it's not really part of the "museum grounds" geographically, so it's probably okay
What we're doing
* Stargazing
* Fire? (at least candles, maybe a Viventibus Galaxia plate)
* Psalm of Solstice (we could sing it instead of just listening to it)
* Talk about Deep Time and the SolSeed liturgical year
* http://www.patheos.com/blogs/allergicpagan/2011/12/29/winter-solstice-ritual/