Stonehenge is known for its alignment with the Sun, that is why tourists visit this site at the start of summer. There is a theory, however, that it may also be linked to the moon, and a rare lunar event will try to prove this theory.
A Rare Lunar Event
For the first time since 2006, viewers from Earth will witness a major lunar standstill where the Moon will be seen taking a more dramatic path across the sky. This rare lunar event will take place across several months and will be at its most extreme around the equinoxes in September 2024 and March 2025.
During this celestial event, the Moon rises at its most extremely northern and southern positions on the horizon. As a result, it will reach its highest and lowest points in its 18.6-year lunar cycle.
This phenomenon is possible because the Moon does not follow the path taken by the Sun. The Moon's rising and setting positions on the horizon constantly change because of the movements of Earth and the Moon.
Our Solar System is known to be planar, which means that the planets orbit the Sun on the same ecliptic plane. Since the Earth rotates on a 23.4-degree-tilted axis, the Sun is observed to rise and set within almost 47 degrees with respect to this ecliptic.
Meanwhile, the orbit of the Moon is tilted by 5.2 degrees relative to the ecliptic plane. As a result, the Moon rises and sets within a 57-degree range in any given month. This explains why the Moon can sometimes be seen rising and setting at points on the horizon farther north and south than the Sun can.
The visibility of this event will depend on the phase of the Moon, as well as the observer's location and weather. It is best to watch this phenomenon during a full moon, when the Moon rises and the Sun sets, and vice versa.
Lunar Standstill and Stonehenge
To those who gather at Stonehenge, it is clear how the Sun could have influenced its design. However, there was a proposed idea in the 1960s that this megalithic monument may also be in some way linked to the Moon.
One evidence that supports this claim is the presence of cremated human remains found in the southeast, the spot where the southernmost moonrise takes place. According to archaeoastronomy professor Clive Ruggles from the University of Leicester, the builders of Stonehenge may be aware of that direction of the Moon which later became sort of a sacred direction.
To solve this mystery, a team of experts from the universities of Leicester, Oxford, and Bournemouth launched a project that aims to investigate Stonehenge's connection to the major lunar standstill. They plan to assess where a person needs to stand to effectively witness the alignment.
The researchers will also investigate if the rising and setting of the Moon will be blocked by other stones that may diminish the viewing experience. Additionally, they plan to investigate the patterns of light and shadow created by the Moon at Stonehenge and how it may have influenced the people who built and used the monument.
Check out more news and information on Lunar Standstill in Science Times.
