Thousands of people greeted the sun with cheers this morning as it rose over Stonehenge for summer solstice.
Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic Wiltshire monument encountered a chilly morning accompanied by clear skies as the sun glinted over the horizon at 4.52am.
English Heritage's Stonehenge director Kate Logan called it 'one of the highlights of the year', adding: 'There was a lovely, friendly atmosphere throughout, the sun shone and the dawn was greeted with loud cheers.'
Welcome to the longest day! Hundreds of revellers and modern-day druids watch the sunrise over Stonehenge as they celebrate the summer solstice
Thousands of people greet the sun with cheers today as it rises over Stonehenge for summer solstice
Observers at neolithic Wiltshire monument encounter chilly morning with clear skies at 4.52am sunrise
Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset
On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle
By Mark Duell and Terri-ann Williams For Mailonline
21 June 2019
Thousands of people greeted the sun with cheers this morning as it rose over Stonehenge for summer solstice.
Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic Wiltshire monument encountered a chilly morning accompanied by clear skies as the sun glinted over the horizon at 4.52am.
English Heritage's Stonehenge director Kate Logan called it 'one of the highlights of the year', adding: 'There was a lovely, friendly atmosphere throughout, the sun shone and the dawn was greeted with loud cheers.'
Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset. On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle.
Rays of sunlight are then channelled into the centre of the monument. It is believed that solstices have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years.
English Heritage used the occasion to launch its new live feed of the sky above the ancient monument, which globally shares the journey of the stars and the moon from within the stone circle.
Scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock said she hoped the feed inspires 'people all over the world to go outside, and look up'. English Heritage tweeted several pictures of the sunrise, adding: 'Welcome the longest day'.
Summer solstice takes place as one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun and the sun reaches its highest position in the sky, ensuring the longest period of daylight for year.
Temperatures are set to rise this weekend and even further into next week when 90F (32C) is possible by Wednesday - representing a stark change to the wet weather that has plagued the country for much of June.
Police arrested four people at Stonehenge and a fifth was detained in Avebury. A 25-year-old man from Warminster was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving; a 15-year-old girl from Bulford was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.
A 44-year-old man from Salisbury was arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure and a 19-year-old man from the Isle of Wight was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. In Avebury, a 45-year-old man from Great Somerford was arrested on suspicion of common assault. They all remain in custody.
Superintendent Dave Minty said: 'We were pleased with how summer solstice went once again this year. It passed peacefully with just one arrest at Avebury and four at Stonehenge, including one person on suspicion of drink-driving.
'Overnight, we deployed a force drone at Stonehenge several times to help keep an eye on the estimated 10,000-strong crowd. We got some really good footage and by using a live feed to the control room it made it easier for us to place officers and security officers around the site where they may be needed.'
A woman is among the visitors celebrating summer solstice and the dawn of the longest day of the year at Stonehenge today
The neolithic Wiltshire monument is built along the solstice alignment of the summer sunrise and the winter sunset
Visitors and modern day druids gather at the 5,000-year-old stone circle in Wiltshire to see the sun rise this morning
An aerial infrared image captures the thousands of revellers attending the summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge today
Sunrise over a poppy field in Worcestershire on the morning of the summer solstice today
An aerial image filmed by a drone today shows the thousands of revellers attending the summer solstice at Stonehenge
Drone footage reveals the huge number of vehicles on the site which brought revellers to Stonehenge today
People gather in colourful attire around Stonehenge in Wiltshire this morning to celebrate the summer solstice this year
Revellers travelled from far and wide to experience waking up to the summer solstice at one of the world's most iconic sites
A reveller with flowers in her hair poses for the camera near the stones at the landmark site in Wiltshire this morning
Summer solstice marks the longest day of the year as the aun reaches its furthest point from the equator
Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic Wiltshire monument encountered a chilly morning today
Kate Logan, English Heritage's director of Stonehenge, said it was 'one of the highlights of the year' at the popular site
Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset
Thousands of people greeted the sun with cheers this morning as it rose over Stonehenge for summer solstice
On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle
Visitors celebrate summer solstice and the dawn of the longest day of the year at Stonehenge in Wiltshire today
A couple smile as they embrace and celebrate summer solstice and the dawn of the longest day of the year at Stonehenge
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...head-traditional-summer-solstice-sunrise.html
Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic Wiltshire monument encountered a chilly morning accompanied by clear skies as the sun glinted over the horizon at 4.52am.
English Heritage's Stonehenge director Kate Logan called it 'one of the highlights of the year', adding: 'There was a lovely, friendly atmosphere throughout, the sun shone and the dawn was greeted with loud cheers.'
Welcome to the longest day! Hundreds of revellers and modern-day druids watch the sunrise over Stonehenge as they celebrate the summer solstice
Thousands of people greet the sun with cheers today as it rises over Stonehenge for summer solstice
Observers at neolithic Wiltshire monument encounter chilly morning with clear skies at 4.52am sunrise
Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset
On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle
By Mark Duell and Terri-ann Williams For Mailonline
21 June 2019
Thousands of people greeted the sun with cheers this morning as it rose over Stonehenge for summer solstice.
Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic Wiltshire monument encountered a chilly morning accompanied by clear skies as the sun glinted over the horizon at 4.52am.
English Heritage's Stonehenge director Kate Logan called it 'one of the highlights of the year', adding: 'There was a lovely, friendly atmosphere throughout, the sun shone and the dawn was greeted with loud cheers.'
Stonehenge is a monument built on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset. On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle.
Rays of sunlight are then channelled into the centre of the monument. It is believed that solstices have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years.
English Heritage used the occasion to launch its new live feed of the sky above the ancient monument, which globally shares the journey of the stars and the moon from within the stone circle.
Scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock said she hoped the feed inspires 'people all over the world to go outside, and look up'. English Heritage tweeted several pictures of the sunrise, adding: 'Welcome the longest day'.
Summer solstice takes place as one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt toward the sun and the sun reaches its highest position in the sky, ensuring the longest period of daylight for year.
Temperatures are set to rise this weekend and even further into next week when 90F (32C) is possible by Wednesday - representing a stark change to the wet weather that has plagued the country for much of June.
Police arrested four people at Stonehenge and a fifth was detained in Avebury. A 25-year-old man from Warminster was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving; a 15-year-old girl from Bulford was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.
A 44-year-old man from Salisbury was arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure and a 19-year-old man from the Isle of Wight was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. In Avebury, a 45-year-old man from Great Somerford was arrested on suspicion of common assault. They all remain in custody.
Superintendent Dave Minty said: 'We were pleased with how summer solstice went once again this year. It passed peacefully with just one arrest at Avebury and four at Stonehenge, including one person on suspicion of drink-driving.
'Overnight, we deployed a force drone at Stonehenge several times to help keep an eye on the estimated 10,000-strong crowd. We got some really good footage and by using a live feed to the control room it made it easier for us to place officers and security officers around the site where they may be needed.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...head-traditional-summer-solstice-sunrise.html
