Pictured above is the 5000-year-old Newgrange megalith in eastern Ireland. The large structure was built such that every year on the winter solstice, as long as the skies are clear, the interior is dramatically lit up by the sun shining through a perfectly positioned hole in the rock.

I was there almost two years ago, but in February, not late December. Since there is not much space inside Newgrange, there is a lottery each year to pick the lucky few who will get to see the solstice effect. I entered my name but have had no luck.

But it doesn’t really matter this year, because so far cloud cover is hiding the sun. The 30 or so lucky people still have a few more days to witness the remaining effects of the solstice, and I wish them luck.

Update: Here are some more pictures of a sunny winter solstice at Newgrange.