It’s a posibility. The English megalithic monument of Stonehenge is believed to align with the positions of the Moon, as well as those of the Sun. It is being investigated by a team of archaeoastronomists. What is the relationship between Stonehenge and the moon?
They are run by English Heritage. They will study the connection between the ancient monument and a ‘great lunar stop’. It is a rare astronomical phenomenon that occurs every 18.6 years. It refers to the point at which moonrise and moonset reach their farthest points along the horizon. It will take place from this year to next.
Unknown purposes
Academics from the universities of Oxford, Leicester and Bournemouth share their views. They believe these once-in-a-generation lunar movements may have been noticed in the initial phase of Stonehenge. And, therefore, they influenced its later design. Their research into the theory will begin this spring and last until mid-2025.
The relationship between Stonehenge and the moon is not so widespread. Clive Ruggles is Emeritus Professor of Archaeoastronomy at the University of Leicester. He said in a statement: “Stonehenge’s architectural connection to the Sun is well known. But its link to the Moon is less understood.
«The four ‘Station Stones’ align with the extreme positions of the Moon. “Investigators have debated for years whether this was deliberate and, if so, how it was accomplished and what its purpose might have been.”
Dr Robert Massey, of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), said: “Day and night, the Moon is a universally loved feature of the sky. “It’s something we’re all drawn to watch.” The grand stop offers even more spectacular views of our celestial neighbor as it rises and sets. It will be a highlight of astronomy in 2024.
Crucial time
Dr. Amanda Chadburn, works at Kellogg College, University of Oxford. She said: “Observing this connection first-hand in 2024 and 2025 is crucial. Unlike the Sun, tracking the Moon’s extremes is not easy. Requires specific weather conditions and times.
«We want to understand something of what it was like to experience these extreme moonrises and moonsets. And witness their visual effects on the stones (e.g. light and shadow patterns). “Also consider modern influences such as traffic and trees, and document all this through photography for future studies.”
