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Sky watchers are in for another rare astronomical event this week called the Great Lunar Solstice, a spectacle that archaeologists hope will finally shed light on historic sites like Stonehenge, after other celestial wonders for American observers, including flashy displays of the aurora borealis and the Great American eclipse.
A full moon sets behind Stonehenge in Amesbury, England.
Key facts
Like the Sun, the Moon rises in the east and sets in the west, however, the Moon can rise or set at more northern or southern positions on the horizon due to its tilted orbit and the tilted axis of Earth’s rotation.
Although this kind of motion is observed with the Sun, the range of motion is smaller than that of the Moon, and the shift occurs more slowly, taking place in a year rather than a month for the Moon.
Grand lunar solstice occurs when the inclinations of the Moon and Earth are at their maximum, causing the Moon to rise and set at the farthest points of its range on the horizon, affecting how long it will be in the sky.
The celestial event, also called a lunistice (the lunar equivalent of a solstice), naturally occurs over a continuous period of time, but is best seen during full moons, the next of which will appear on Friday.
Archaeologists are particularly excited that this year’s lunar standstill may help to better understand prehistoric monuments such as Stonehenge in England, which some experts believe were designed to match the moon’s movements.
English Heritage, the public organization that manages the prehistoric site, is celebrating the lunar eclipse and plans to broadcast the event live on YouTube starting at 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday.
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“There will be no access to Stonehenge” for the main moon landing, English Heritage said on its YouTube page, which will live stream the events. “This is online only… Please do not travel to the site,” the organization added. As well as the tour, English Heritage said it will have experts from the Royal Astronomical Society as well as Oxford, Leicester and Bournemouth universities to “take you on a journey into the ancient mysteries of Stonehenge and its lunar connections”.
News Peg
This event coincides with June’s full moon, often called the Strawberry Moon, and comes the day after the summer solstice. The summer solstice, also known as the summer solstice, marks the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer. It is well known for drawing visitors to Stonehenge, a monument long known for its alignment with the Sun, but less so for its relationship with the Moon. Pagans, Druids and Spiritualists are particularly drawn to the site around the solstice, many hold the day in high esteem and perform rituals at dawn. It is unclear whether special restrictions will be in place after the site was vandalized by climate activists on Wednesday. Orange powder paint was sprayed on the monument by two protesters from the Just Stop Oil group, who were arrested by local police and reprimanded by British politicians and archaeologists who said the paint could have damaged the megaliths, which are covered in prehistoric markers that have yet to be fully studied.
What to watch out for
Other historical landmarks, such as Chimney Rock, Colorado, are believed to have been built to mark the movements of the moon and sun. English Heritage said it was “thrilled” to be working with the ancient Chacoan settlement “on a series of events exploring the lunar alignment” and urged people to “watch their live stream in September”. The September full moon is expected on September 17.
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