Capturing the Solar Analemma Over Scotland's Callanish Stones

• An 'analemma' is a composite image showing the Sun's position in the sky at the same time each day over the course of a year.
• The featured image documents this solar pattern above the Callanish Stones in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.

Science of the Analemma

• The characteristic figure-8 shape results from the tilt of the Earth's axis and the ellipticity of its orbit.
• The Sun reaches the top or bottom of the loop during the solstices; the image features the Sun near the bottom, reflecting a near-December solstice capture.
• Equinoxes correspond to the middle points of the loop, not the intersection point.

Historical Context

• The Callanish Stones are an ancient circle constructed around 2700 BC during the Bronze Age.
• Historians have not determined if the monument's layout holds specific astronomical significance.