Space

Analemma Over the Callanish Stones

If you went outside at the same time every day and took a photograph that included the Sun, how would the Sun’s position change? A more visual answer to this question is an analemma, a composite image captured from the same location at the same time over the course of a year.

September 20, 20265 min readResearch Courier
Analemma Over the Callanish Stones
Research Courier · Image
ADVERTISEMENT970×90 / Responsive

If you went outside at the same time every day and took a photograph that included the Sun, how would the Sun’s position change? A more visual answer to this question is an analemma, a composite image captured from the same location at the same time over the course of a year. This analemma was created from photographs taken around noon every few days near the village of Callanish in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. In the foreground are the Callanish Stones, a stone circle built in 2700 BC during the Bronze Age of human history. It is not known whether the arrangement of the Callanish Stones has any astronomical significance. The reason for the figure-eight shape of this and all other analemmas is the tilt of Earth’s axis and the ellipticity of Earth’s orbit around the Sun. At the solstices, the Sun appears at the top or bottom of an analemma. This image was taken near the December solstice, which is why the Sun is seen near the bottom. The equinoxes correspond to the midpoint of an analemma (not the point where it crosses). Two days from now, an equinox (“equal night”), when day and night are equal across the world, will occur. Many cultures celebrate the changing of the seasons during the equinox.

{ui.article.advertisement} 336×280 / Responsive

celebrate the changing of the seasons during the equinox.

At the Top of the Analemma

  • If you went outside at the same time every day and took a photograph that included the Sun, how would the Sun’s position change? A more visual answer to this question is an analemma, a composite image captured from the same location at the same time over the course of a year. This analemma was created from photographs taken around noon every few days near the village of Callanish in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. In the foreground are the Callanish Stones, a stone circle built in 2700 BC during the Bronze Age of human history. It is not known whether the arrangement of the Callanish Stones has any astronomical significance. The reason for the figure-eight shape of this and all other analemmas is the tilt of Earth’s axis and the ellipticity of Earth’s orbit around the Sun. At the solstices, the Sun appears at the top or bottom of an analemma. This image was taken near the December solstice, which is why the Sun is seen near the bottom. The equinoxes correspond to the midpoint of an analemma (not the point where it crosses). Two days from now, an equinox (“equal night”), when day and night are equal across the world, will occur. Many cultures celebrate the changing of the seasons during the equinox.

{ui.article.advertisement} 336×280 / Responsive

  • celebrate the changing of the seasons.

  • celebrate the changing of the seasons.

  • celebrate the changing of the seasons.

dfefefe

Screenshot 2026-01-03 174343

A More Visual Answer to This Question

If you went outside at the same time every day and took a photograph that included the Sun, how would the Sun’s position change? A more visual answer to this question is an analemma, a composite image captured from the same location at the same time over the course of a year. This analemma was created from photographs taken around noon every few days near the village of Callanish in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. In the foreground are the Callanish Stones, a stone circle built in 2700 BC during the Bronze Age of human history. It is not known whether the arrangement of the Callanish Stones has any astronomical significance. The reason for the figure-eight shape of this and all other analemmas is the tilt of Earth’s axis and the ellipticity of Earth’s orbit around the Sun. At the solstices, the Sun appears at the top or bottom of an analemma. This image was taken near the December solstice, which is why the Sun is seen near the bottom. The equinoxes correspond to the midpoint of an analemma (not the point where it crosses). Two days from now, an equinox (“equal night”), when day and night are equal across the world, will occur. Many cultures celebrate the changing of the seasons during the equinox.

{ui.article.advertisement} 336×280 / Responsive

At the Same Time Every Day

  • If you went outside at the same time every day and took a photograph that included the Sun, how would the Sun’s position change? A more visual answer to this question is an analemma, a composite image captured from the same location at the same time over the course of a year. This analemma was created from photographs taken around noon every few days near the village of Callanish in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. In the foreground are the Callanish Stones, a stone circle built in 2700 BC during the Bronze Age of human history. It is not known whether the arrangement of the Callanish Stones has any astronomical significance. The reason for the figure-eight shape of this and all other analemmas is the tilt of Earth’s axis and the ellipticity of Earth’s orbit around the Sun. At the solstices, the Sun appears at the top or bottom of an analemma. This image was taken near the December solstice, which is why the Sun is seen near the bottom. The equinoxes correspond to the midpoint of an analemma (not the point where it crosses). Two days from now, an equinox (“equal night”), when day and night are equal across the world, will occur. Many cultures celebrate the changing of the seasons during the equinox.

SPACEANALEMMACALLANISHSTONES
Notice: Research Courier is an independent science, technology and space blog. Content is provided for general informational purposes.