The main line
Skygazers are in for another rare astronomical event this week called a lunar eclipse, a spectacle that archaeologists hope will finally shed light on historic sites like Stonehenge, after other celestial wonders for American observers, including the apparitions see the Northern Lights and the Great American Eclipse.
The full moon sets behind Stonehenge in Amesbury, England.
Key facts
Similar to the sun, the moon rises in the east and sets in the west, however, the moon can rise or set in more northern or southern positions on the horizon due to its tilted orbit and the tilted axis of Earth’s rotation.
While this type of motion is seen with the sun, the range of motion is even smaller than that of the moon, and the shift occurs more gradually, occurring over a year rather than a month for the moon.
Major lunar eclipses occur when the sides of the moon and the Earth are at their maximum, which causes the moon to rise and set at the farthest points of its beam on the horizon and affects its longitude in the sky.
The celestial event, also called a lunistic (the lunar equivalent of a solstice), occurs over a continuous period of time by nature, 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 could help provide a deeper understanding of prehistoric monuments such as Stonehenge in England, which some experts believe were designed to approximate the moon’s movements.
English Heritage, the public body that manages the prehistoric site, is celebrating the grand lunar eclipse and plans to stream the event live on YouTube starting at 4:30pm ET on Friday.
Further viewing
“There will be no access to Stonehenge” for the grand lunar eclipse, English Heritage said on its YouTube page which will stream the phenomena live. “This is online only… Please do not travel to the site,” the organization added. As well as the viewing, English Heritage said there will be experts from the Royal Astronomical Society, as well as the universities of Oxford, Leicester and Bournemouth, to “take you on a journey into the ancient mysteries of Stonehenge and its lunar connections”.
News Peg
The event coincides with June’s full moon, often called the strawberry moon, and comes one day after the summer solstice. The summer solstice, also known as midsummer, marks the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer. It is famous for attracting visitors to Stonehenge, a monument that has long been known for its alignment with the sun, but less so for its connection with the moon. Pagans, druids and spiritualists in particular retreat to the country around the solstice, many holding the day in high regard and performing dawn rituals. It is unclear whether special restrictions will be imposed after the site was vandalized by climate activists on Wednesday. Powdered orange paint was sprayed on the monument by two protesters from the Just Stop Oil group, who were arrested by local police and criticized by British politicians and archaeologists, who said the paint may have damaged the megaliths, which are covered in markings. prehistoric that have not yet been fully studied.
What to look for
Other historical monuments, such as Chimney Rock, Colorado, are also thought to be built to mark the movements of the moon and sun. English Heritage said it is “thrilled” to be partnering with the ancient Chacoan settlement “for a series of events exploring lunar alignments”, urging people to “look out for their live stream in September”. The September full moon is expected on September 17.
Get text alerts on the latest Forbes news: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories making the day’s headlines. Text Alerts to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.
Further reading