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Beautifully captured on 170gsm satin paper, this 2024 Australian Nature Wheel (841mm x 594mm), displays multiple layers representing the cycles of nature and the Solar System from an Australian perspective.
The Sun is at the centre of our Solar System and everything in our Solar System revolves around it.
In both the southern and northern hemispheres, the Sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west. The Sun does not travel across the sky, it only looks this way because the Earth is moving. In the southern hemisphere when looking north towards the equator, the Sun appears to move from right to left, or anti-clockwise across the northern sky.
In the tropical zodiac, when the Sun moves into 0° of Aries it is considered the beginning of the astrological year. This is autumn equinox in the southern hemisphere and spring equinox in the northern hemisphere. The ancient Greeks chose the spring equinox as the starting point from which to measure the Sun’s motion across the celestial sphere. Due to Western astrology’s origins being from the northern hemisphere, the seasonal rationale of spring and new life does not apply here as Aries marks the time of autumn.
There are two solstices and two equinoxes each year which mark four important points in Earth’s orbit around the Sun. It is the Earth’s position in its orbit and orientation of its tilted axis at these points that defines the seasons.The way the Earth orbits means that certain areas of the globe are tilted towards the Sun while other parts are tilted away from it so there are different levels of sunlight reaching different parts of the Earth.
Australia’s native flora forms the phenological rim, showing flora from each state and territory that appear in the month in which they bloom. Phenology is the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena, especially in relation to climate, plant and animal life. Australian native fauna is included as well as National environmental and cultural events.
The Sun reaches the summer solstice around 21 December each year. This is when the South Pole is most fully orientated towards the Sun and the day has the most amount of daylight. The Sun reaches winter solstice around 21 June each year. This is when the North Pole is most fully orientated towards the Sun and we have the least amount of daylight.
When seasons commence, and their duration, are defined in different ways and are used for different reasons. Each of the astronomical seasons begin with either an equinox or a solstice. Meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle and last exactly three months each. Phenological seasons are based on annual occurrences and events, especially in relation to climate, plant and animal life. In areas near the equator there is little seasonal variation and they have similar amounts of daylight and darkness throughout the year. They remain warm year-round and typically have alternating wet and dry seasons which reflects the amount of rainfall.
As seen from Earth, the Sun, Moon and planets all follow a path called the ecliptic. The ecliptic is the projection into the sky of the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. The constellations on this path are collectively called the zodiac and each occupy 30° of the ecliptic. Dates for each zodiac sign and their earth, air, wind or fire element are listed.
There are, however, thirteen astronomical constellationsthat lie on the ecliptic, the 13th being Ophiuchus. The Sun spends different amounts of time travelling through each of these constellations as they are all different shapes and sizes. If we look at the area of the sky identified as Aries over 2,000 years ago when the fixed zodiac we use today was originally established, we will not see the constellation of Aries anymore, instead we will see Pisces as the stars have shifted backwards by approximately 1° every 72 years.
The dates listed for the 2024 solstices and equinoxes are the same for each state and territory. Moon phase dates are also the same for each state and territory in 2024, with the exception of Western Australia as follows:
First Quarter Moon – February, August and December the day prior
Third Quarter Moon – March the day prior
1 x Poster - with explanation sheet
Poster measures approximately - 84 x 60 cm
Calendars are shipped 'worldwide' in a mailing tube.
Created by - Living Cycles
