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Skygazers are in for another rare astronomical event this week called a grand lunar eclipse, a spectacle that archaeologists hope will finally shed light on historic sites like Stonehenge, after other celestial wonders for US observers, including vivid images of the Northern Lights and the Great American Eclipse.
The full moon sets behind Stonehenge in Amesbury, England.
Key facts
Like the sun, the moon rises in the east and sets in the west, but 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.
While this type of motion is seen in the sun, the range of motion is both smaller than that of the moon and the change occurs more gradually, occurring over the course of a year rather than within a month for the moon.
Major lunar stasis 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 and affecting how long it is in the sky.
The celestial event, also called a lunar cycle (lunar equivalent of a solstice), occurs over a continuous period of time by nature, but is best observed during a full moon, the next of which will appear on Friday.
Archaeologists are particularly excited that this year’s lunar stasis could help deepen understanding of prehistoric monuments such as Stonehenge in England, which some experts believe were designed to match the moon’s movements.
English Heritage, the public body that manages the prehistoric site, is celebrating the great lunar stasis and plans to live stream the event on YouTube starting at 4:30pm ET on Friday.
Additional review
There will be “no access to Stonehenge” for the big lunar stasis, English Heritage said on its YouTube page, which will live stream the phenomena. “This is online only… Please do not travel to the site,” the organization added. In addition to the viewing, English Heritage said there will be 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
The event coincides with the full moon in June, often called the Strawberry Moon, and comes the 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 well known for drawing 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 are drawn to the site around the solstice, many hold the day in high esteem and perform dawn rituals. It is unclear whether special restrictions will be put in place after the site was vandalized by climate activists on Wednesday. The orange powder 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 prehistoric markings that have are not yet fully explored.
What to watch out for
Other historical monuments, such as Chimney Rock, Colorado, are also believed to have been built to mark the movements of the moon and sun. English Heritage said it was “thrilled” to be collaborating with the ancient Chacoan settlement “for a series of events exploring lunar alignments”, urging people to “check out their live broadcast in September”. The September full moon is expected on September 17.
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