Sunset on the longest day of the year - 21 June, 2023 - Meols Beach, Wirral

Sunset On The Longest Day Of The Year - the Summer Solstice: 

21 June, 2023 - Meols Beach, Wirral

We know the Wirral Peninsular well. When Wendy was little, we lived in Birkenhead, and it was lovely to find the area warmer (thanks to being surrounded by water!) than other areas of England. 

When Wendy's Dad was the Naval Engineer Overseer at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, we first rented a house in Prenton, and then moved to Raby Mere, but we also got to know the other areas too, and that included Meols (pronounced "MELS") and the beach. 

If the weather is clear, the sunsets can be spectacular; this year found us in the area on the longest day of the year, so Wendy suggested we drive to Meols and watch the sunset, and what a beautiful sight it was. 

We parked up on Meols Parade, by the Sandhey Slipway for boats to get on to the water, and settled down to watch the sun sinking down, slipping towards the horizon.

It was such a balmy evening; the sun sank lower and lower, and then - almost suddenly - at 21.45, it was gone.  

Even though we couldn't see the sun anymore, that didn't mean it was completely dark; as the moon appeared, the sky remained "dusky light," and the harshness of the wind farm was softened by the ambient illumination.

Then the moon shone clearly, and we managed to get a photograph of it, with Venus, the Early Evening Star, visible in the sky a little way away. 

(O du, mein holder Abendstern...)  *

Everything was so still, so quiet; it seemed the hubbub of cities, all the rush and tear, either didn't exist or else were a long way away, and we just enjoyed the quiet peace of the day and the evening.

Afterwards, driving home, we felt really blessed to have been able to see such gentle magnificence - so easily enjoyed, no tickets to buy for the show: just sit still, watch, and appreciate the natural splendour. 

 

* I was reminded of the aria from Tannhauser, paean to the Evening Star. Once, years ago, I went to the Planetarium in Johannesburg, and took my seat in the auditorium. As the lights went down, and the theatre went dark, the seats began to tilt backwards, and O du, mein holder Abendstern started to play. It was very gradual, but soon you were left gazing up at the ceiling of the theatre; I remember being told they had a Zeiss projector, and slowly, very slowly, the stars began show and twinkle in the dusk above us. It was magical! and we mustn't forget the name Evening Star has also been immortalised as a famous steam engine as well...! 

After the show, one of the astronomers invited me to view the stars through one of the largest telescopes I had ever seen. As I searched the night sky, I found Saturn; its rings were almost fully open, and one of the scientists said, "Isn't that pretty!"  

Pretty! I thought that didn't even get close to describe well enough how enchanting I found the planet; it was 887 million miles away, and I was viewing it, from here on earth. It was the first time I had seen it, and it was sailing through the sky in all its elegant splendour. That was a night to remember.