Record numbers of people descended on Stonehenge this morning to mark the summer solstice. Despite the sun not making an appearance in an overcast sky, around 36,500 people enjoyed a carnival atmosphere at the ancient stone circle on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire. An eccentric mix of Morris dancers, pagans dressed in their traditional robes and musicians playing guitars and drums gathered alongside visitors from across the world. The good weather and the fact that the solstice fell over a weekend drew in the crowds from around 7pm last night. Record numbers of people descended on Stonehenge this morning to mark the summer solstice. Cloudy skies meant that the sun was not seen, but the event stayed dry unlike last year. It wasn't all love and happiness: A man is arrested shortly after sunrise as thousands of people gather at Stonehenge. As the sun rose at 4.58am a cheer went up from those gathered at the stone circle. Bleary-eyed revellers wrapped in blankets, ponchos, cloaks and bin liners gathered at Heel Stone, the pillar at the edge of the prehistoric monument, to welcome the sunrise. English Heritage and Wiltshire police had anticipated the biggest turnout yet and had drafted in extra officers to patrol the site and to clamp down on anti-social behaviour and drugs. Restrictions were placed on the amount of alcohol people could bring in, with security checks at the main entrance. But the event was a peaceful one with just 25 arrests overnight for minor public disorder and drug-related offences, a Wiltshire police spokesman said. Sam Edwards, from Wiltshire police, said: 'We are very pleased everything went to plan. The atmosphere has been very good, especially around the stones.(Daily Mail)
E se nell'emisfero settentrionale si è festeggiato il giorno più lungo, in quello australe è stata invece la giornata più corta. Nella base scientifica antartica Casey Station, ricercatori australiani hanno voluto ricordare il 21 giugno con una cerimonia d'eccezione. Si sono tuffati nelle acque ghiacciate del polo, mentre sulla superficie il termometro segnava meno 18 gradi e venti freddi soffiavano a trenta chilometri orari. Un'avventura da brivido, nel freddo antartico, coordinata da Ghaham Cook, responsabile della base. "Abbiamo scavato un buco nel ghiaccio - racconta ironicamente Cook - e il meno intelligente del gruppo ci si è immerso dentro". Poi lentamente anche altri si sono tuffati nelle acque gelate, e non é mancato anche chi ha voluto provare questa esperienza vestito con il solo costume da bagno. Legati a un corda hanno nuotato a meno tre gradi per qualche secondo e una volta fuori sono corsi a farsi una doccia calda.
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