What day does Samhain fall on this year?

[moonbride]

I know it's generally thought to be October 31 but I could swear I read something here not that long ago that said it was somewhere in the first week of November... only I don't remember the exact day. Also, where is there a source for this kind of information?

Thanks to anyone who can help me out here...

[moonbride]

Well looky me... answering part of my own question! :lol::lol:

I found the post I was talking about HERE (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showpost.php?p=2808541&postcount=18) and it said Samhain falls on November 7 this year. I would still love to know where to find this kind of information if anyone knows.

Thanks.

[Darbla]

It's when the sun is aspected 15* Scorpio. There's a bit of info here:
http://www.ladybridget.com/r/octi001.html

You could probably find more info by searching for a combination of the terms sun, 15, Scorpio, Samhain, and related words.

[ArcofDaisies]

http://www.archaeoastronomy.com/

and some of the links on there explain it

[moonbride]

Thanks so much, you guys. Those are great links!

[omar]

I was just reading on WV that Samhain is the old Celtic New Year. Oct.31st the last day of the year & Nov. 1st the first day of the New Year.

[WiccanGoddess]

I practice my Samhain rituals on Christian Halloween, which falls on a Tuesday this year.

Omar: Samhain, in present terms, can apply to Celtic and/or Pagan/Wiccan traditions. Samhain originated in the past, and has evolved to the future. It once fell November 1, marking the Celtic New Year. (Celts worked with a Lunar calander, and we now work Solar.) Wiccans and Pagans of present work on October 31. Ironic that the day of Halloween, Christian, falls on that, eh? ;)

[Tadrith]

I always felt that it falls upon the full moon between the fall equinox and winter solstice, landing on November 5th this year. As far as I can tell, this is the case for the celtic lunisolar calendar.

Tad

[moonbride]

I always felt that it falls upon the full moon between the fall equinox and winter solstice, landing on November 5th this year. As far as I can tell, this is the case for the celtic lunisolar calendar.

Tad

That's a bit closer to what that one site says than the 31st of October. I will be celebrating the whole Halloween thing with the kids on Oct. 31 but as far as my personal Samhain celebration/observation... I wanted to be as close as possible. I lost my mother 13 years ago and like to use this time to communicate with her more than I usually do.

[Tranquility]

The Celtic peoples thought that day preceded night (In the darkness of the womb, being born into the light of day). So, a day started once the sun set, and continued through the morning until the next sunset. In darkness began the day. Therefore, if the celebration was on Nov. 1 (Samhuinn), it was celebrated starting on the night of the 31st. I think that this is why we often see the fire festivals as either the last day of a month, or the first of the next.

[Siqoni]

I just celebrate samhain on October 31/november 1. The usualy, that way it stays the same every year so I always know when it is.

[_Banbha_]

Today is solar Samhain from 12 pm until 12 pm tomorrow (repeats every year):


The Sun has descended to 11.7 degrees S, halfway to Solstice's 23.4. Near the tropics, daylight has shortened half the amount it will shrink between Equinox and Solstice. Near the Arctic Circle, the half-way point will not be reached until Nov 14th. The day-to-day change lessens dramatically around this time.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/greenwoodtarot/

[omar]

I always felt that it falls upon the full moon between the fall equinox and winter solstice, landing on November 5th this year. As far as I can tell, this is the case for the celtic lunisolar calendar.

Tad

There is 3 full moons between the equinox & solstice. So how do you know which one is Samhain?