Behind the song: "UMass Sunwheel"

I wanted to write a song about the UMass Sunwheel, so I wrote an email to the professor in charge: 

Dear Professor Schneider,

I hope you're enjoying the crisp September days in Amherst. As a fan of the UMass Astronomy Department's work to bring the cosmos to our community, I'm inspired by the Sunwheel gatherings you helped create alongside Judith Young.

With the autumnal equinox coming up on September 22, I wrote a song called “Umass Sunwheel” to celebrate the occasion. It captures the balance of day and night, ancient harvest traditions, and our shared wonder at the stars, tying directly to the 6:30 a.m. sunrise and 6:00 p.m. sunset viewings at the Sunwheel, as noted in the Amherst Indy article.

The song's style feels like a great fit: it blends ancestral vibes, like the harvest festivals of Druids and Mayans, with modern electronic sounds. The percussion draws on rhythms inspired by science (Earth's 23.5-degree tilt), philosophy (the balance of light and dark), and math (cycles and symmetry). It's like a musical bridge between the Sunwheel's stones and the astronomy you champion.

I've included the lyrics below and would love your thoughts. Maybe it could add a spark to the equinox events or just bring a smile. If you're curious about a melody, I'm happy to share more.

Hoping for clear skies at the Sunwheel, and thank you for keeping the stars within reach.

Warm regards,

Adam R Sweet

Here's a recording of the song: 

https://adamsweet.bandcamp.com/track/umass-sunwheel

Lyrics:

Verse 1

In Amherst where the Sunwheel stands high,

Stones catch the light as the seasons slide by.

September's call, on the 22nd day,

Equal light and dark in the sky's grand play.

Chorus

Autumnal equinox, balance of the skies,

At UMass we watch where the sun's path lies.

Sunrise at six-thirty, sunset at six,

Marking the harvest, the season's new mix.

Verse 2

Ancient fields bloomed under equinox light,

Harvests were gathered, a balance of night.

Cultures revered it, from Druids to Mayans,

Their stones and their stories still echo, undyin'.

Chorus

Autumnal equinox, balance of the skies,

At UMass we watch where the sun's path lies.

Sunrise at six-thirty, sunset at six,

Marking the harvest, the season's new mix.

Verse 3

Earth's tilt aligns for this fleeting embrace,

Day equals night in a cosmic ballet's grace.

Today we still gather, to learn and to see,

The Sunwheel reminds us of time's mystery.

Chorus

Autumnal equinox, balance of the skies,

At UMass we watch where the sun's path lies.

Sunrise at six-thirty, sunset at six,

Marking the harvest, the season's new mix.

Bridge

From ancient rites to the science we know,

The equinox calls with its celestial glow.

It binds us to seasons, to Earth, and to stars,

A moment of balance, no matter who we are.

Chorus

Autumnal equinox, balance of the skies,

At UMass we watch where the sun's path lies.

Sunrise at six-thirty, sunset at six,

Marking the harvest, the season's new mix.

I wasn't expecting a reply, but received one anyway:

Hi Adam,

That's great! I think you nicely captured the astronomy and the sense of time's passing that the equinox event represents. I'm sharing this reply with Grant Wilson, the head of the department.

A couple of details that you might want to think about to make your song more general: (1) The equinox isn't always on the 22nd--could you say "3 weeks into September" or something like that? (2) The times that our gatherings start (6:30am and 6pm) aren't when sunrise and sunset actually occur. I'm not sure how you might finesse that.

Thank you for sharing!

---Steve Schneider

Stephen E. Schneider, Prof. Emeritus

UMass Dept. of Astronomy

638 Lederle Graduate Tower

Amherst, MA 01003

phone: 413-545-2076