Major lunar standstills could reveal whether Stonehenge is aligned with the moon.

Stonehenge has long aligned itself to the sun during solstices. But is it also aligning with the moon? At once-in-a-generation event known as a major lunar standstill is underway and scientists are ready to discover whether ancient people built monuments around our natural satellite. According to Royal Astronomical Society statements, major lunar standstills occur every 18.6 years when the moon rises and sets at different positions on either side of its normal path along the horizon, according to their statement. From our perspective on Earth, from June until 2025 the moon will reach higher altitudes in its path than either summer sun or winter sun; thereby initiating its unique moon cycle and following it for three or more decades thereafter. “It’s an extended cycle. Archaeologists have not had many opportunities to study Stonehenge,” explained Jennifer Wexler, senior properties historian with expertise in prehistoric sites at English Heritage (an organization overseeing historic sites in England) to Live Science. [See related story for more]. Related: Was Stonehenge an ancient calendar? New research says no. Over its history, Stonehenge has undergone various stages of construction and rebuilding beginning around 3000 BCE when an inner and outer ditch with two entrances was first dug. Archaeologists have identified 56 pits on the inner circle of this monument that archaeologists have named Aubrey Holes after John Aubrey, a 17th-century antiquarian who first described them. It’s possible these Aubrey Holes once held upright timbers or stones that supported upright beams or slabs. However, other locations within Stonehenge also permit cremation burials. Many cremations at Stonehenge can be found in its southeast section near three pits that once held timber posts and appear to align with a major lunar standstill’s southerly moonrise. Furthermore, burials were placed here around Aubrey Holes during construction around 2500 BCE when four Station Stones were first set down here by ancient builders – these burials seem significant even today! According to this statement, these stones could form a rectangle whose long axis may align with the most southerly rising point of the moon. “Stonehenge’s architectural relationship to the Sun is well understood; however, its relationship to the Moon remains less so.” Said Clive Ruggles of University of Leicester. In an accompanying statement. “Researchers have long speculated whether or not the four Station Stones align deliberately with Moon’s extreme positions; if so, how this was accomplished and its ultimate purpose. Discover fascinating discoveries straight to your inbox.” “Get access to some of the world’s greatest discoveries. Ancient people would likely have considered major lunar standstills sacred times because their attention would have been focused on more aspects of sky than it is nowadays,” Wexler stated. “These early farmers would also have had an understanding of these cycles which was essential. Perhaps people shared information with their children or grandchildren regarding its special placement,” she speculated. “Stonehenge may have had ancestral associations as well.” Researchers with Historic England, Oxford, Leicester and Bournemouth Universities as well as Royal Astronomical Society will observe and conduct various assessments at Stonehenge during its major lunar standstill event on March 31. Throughout these observations they will assess different aspects of Stonehenge site. “Our aim is to experience what it was like during these extreme Moonrises and sets,” explained Amanda Chadburn of Oxford’s Kellogg College archaeologist in her statement, and observe their effects on stones (for instance patterns of light and shadow), including modern influences like traffic or trees – then document all this through photography for future study. Through 2024, Stonehenge will host various public events including pop-up planetarium sessions and lectures by visiting experts, livestream of southernmost moonrise and livestreaming of southernmost moonrise in June from Stonehenge itself. Researchers are also working closely with Chimney Rock in Colorado where Chacoan settlements may also align during major lunar standstill.