Punxsutawney Phil

I have no claims whatsoever to be an expert on Groundhog's Day. I think I've seen the movie but once. I can barely remember whether he needs to see his shadow or not to make the prediction of six more weeks of winter. For a number of years, it only ever crossed my radar because I had a friend who took to it like prickly pears to cacti.

This year, Punxsutawney Phil's prediction caught my attention. Officially, the rodent said we've got 6 more weeks of winter. But I ask: what is winter this year? Monday, it was 69 degrees and I went for a bike ride in a t-shirt past lakes that were still mostly frozen over. Six more weeks of that? Yes, please!

But it's got me thinking about the process. Not whether or not the old guys with stove pipe hats and white beards make the prediction in advance. (Believe it or not, there are conspiracy theories about that.) But how do we know whether or not Phil sees his shadow? I did a simple search for pictures and video and got some information for research, but nothing conclusive. From what I can tell, we don't actually see Phil himself come out of the hole.

http://www2.wjtv.com/news/2012/feb/02/goundhog-day-punxsutawney-phil-sees-his-shadow-ar-3158445/

Ok, fine. I can deal with that. But how do we know what he sees, anyway? How do we know he's not visually impaired? Do we just assume that if he pokes his head out of the stump with the sun on either side of him that he sees his shadow?

So that's my hunka, hunka burnin' question of the day.