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Ka Lā

Puni o ka Lā
solar year • circuit of the Sun

Nā Alanui

Each day, ka Lā rises in the east (hikina) and sets in the west (komohana). Throughout the solar year of around 365.25 days, ka Lā also appears to travel in an annual circuit (puni) that reaches northward (into summer), and southward (into winter). Each solar year, ka Lā moves back and forth, like a pendulum, between its northernmost position and its southernmost position.

After the winter solstice, ka Lā begins to move northward towards Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kāne, its summer solstice position. Midway through its journey, ka Lā will travel Ke Alanui i ka Piko o Wākea for the (spring) equinox. This usually occurs around March 19th or 20th. By June 20th/21st, ka puni o ka Lā will be complete. On this day, ka Lā has returned to its northernmost (summer solstice) position and will travel Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kāne.

Hikina a ka Lā

sunrise in the east

What we see through kilo • Hikina

To understand the movements of Mahina, ka Lā, and nā Hōkū, it helps to have a consistent orientation time. To follow ka puni o ka Lā through its annual circuit, we start with wana‘ao (dawn), which lasts until hikina a ka Lā (sunrise). While each of us is a pānāna (compass), it does help to have a specific place to kilo each hikina a ka Lā.

65° / 90° / 115°

From our pānānā, which is essentially wherever we are located at any given moment, we see hikina a ka Lā move northward to the compass bearing of 65°, and southward to the compass bearing of 115°. These degrees show us the location of the two solstice alanui, Polohiwa a Kāne and Polohiwa a Kanaloa. In the middle of the two solstice alanui is the central alanui, Ka Piko o Wākea. We can find this alanui at the compass bearing of 90°. Keep in mind that for this type of kilo, a simple smart phone compass (set to true north) works fine. Looking eastward during hikina a ka Lā, we will become familiar with the location of the three alanui:

 

Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kāne • 65°

Northernmost position of ka Lā / Summer Solstice sunrise / Occurs annually around June 20th or 21st

 

Ke Alanui i ka Piko o Wākea • 90°

Sun rises due east (90°) / Equinox sunrise / Occurs annually in the spring (March 19th or 20th) and

autumn (September 22nd)

 

Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kanaloa • 115°

Southernmost position of ka Lā / Winter Solstice sunrise / Occurs annually around December 21st

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