The final full moon of 2024, the "cold moon," peaks on Dece…
The final full moon of 2024, the "cold moon," peaks on December 15 and coincides with a rare "major lunar standstill," occurring every 18.6 years. Visible for extended hours, it aligns with the Geminid meteor shower, peaking December 13-14. The name "cold moon" comes from the Mohawk tribe, referencing winter's cold.
Stonehenge is thought to align with the major lunar standstill, a rare event every 18.6 years when the moon rises and sets at its extreme northern and southern points. The monument's stones are positioned to match the southernmost moonrise during this phenomenon. From: https://apple.news/AfOS_t4ibS8qb-RbMvHbnFg
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In 2016, I was lucky enough to be at a private tour at sunrise of this magnificent megalith. This photo was at sunrise a week or so before the spring equinox. The ancient builders apparently aligned the stones to map to these "earth and stars" relationships.
Tell us about the famous Heel stone at Stonehenge, its size, its relationship to other stones in the megalith monument, and why and how the builders might have aligned this with the equinox.
The Heel stone, also known as the "Friar's Heel" or "Sun stone," is a single large sarsen stone standing outside of the main circle of Stonehenge. It measures approximately 6 meters in circumference and is 4 meters high.
The Heel stone has a significant relationship with the other stones in the monument. It is positioned so that it aligns with the main axis of the Stonehenge site. During the spring and autumn equinoxes, the sun rises in line with the Heel stone, casting its first rays upon the altar stone inside the Stonehenge circle. This alignment suggests that the ancient builders intended for this stone to mark the equinoxes and potentially other celestial events.
It is believed that the builders chose the Heel stone for its size and shape, as well as its relative isolation from the other stones in the monument. By aligning the Heel stone with the main axis of Stonehenge, they created a focal point for the site that would have allowed them to track the movements of the sun and potentially other celestial bodies. The precise alignment of the Heel stone with the equinoxes also supports the idea that the builders had a deep understanding of astronomy and may have used the monument as a tool for predicting and observing celestial events.
!flux11 Heel stone in Stonehenge at the spring equinox
I am not able to access or view images directly through the chat interface. I can only provide textual information. However, I can help you find more information on the Heel stone in Stonehenge at the spring equinox.
When the spring equinox occurs, the sun rises exactly due east and sets due west. In the context of Stonehenge, this alignment of the sun and the Earth is marked by the Heel stone. The ancient builders positioned the Heel stone in such a way that, on the morning of the spring equinox, the rising sun's first rays align with the main axis of the Stonehenge monument and shine through the stones, casting its light upon the altar stone within the circle.
This alignment demonstrates that the builders had a deep understanding of astronomy and the solar calendar. By constructing Stonehenge with precise alignments to celestial events, they likely used the monument as a tool for tracking the movements of the sun and possibly other celestial bodies. This knowledge would have been essential for organizing their lives, agriculture, and other activities based on the seasons and the movements of the sun.
You can find various images of the Heel stone in Stonehenge at the spring equinox by searching for relevant keywords or phrases, such as "Heel stone spring equinox" or "Stonehenge equinox."