Mystery of Stonehenge could finally be solved by ‘once in a lifetime’ event

We may finally understand Stonehenge’s connection to the Moon, thanks to a once-in-a-generation cosmic event. 

A ‘major lunar standstill’ will help to confirm once and for all whether Stonehenge aligns with certain positions of the Moon. 

The event occurs every 18.6 years when the Moon rises and sets at a more northern and southerly place along the horizon than usual.

Researchers from Oxford, Leicester and Bournemouth universities believe these lunar movements may have been noticed in the early phase of Stonehenge, and influenced its design. 

The four station stones of Stonehenge align with two of the Moon’s extreme positions, but scientists have so far been unable to say whether this was deliberate.

Researchers will now be monitoring the lunar standstill which began this spring and lasts into the middle of 2025, with the English Heritage livestreaming the event in June. 

Professor Clive Ruggles, who lectures archaeoastronomy at Leicester University, said: ‘Stonehenge’s architectural connection to the Sun is well known, but its link with the Moon is less well understood.’

He added: ‘The four Station Stones align with the Moon’s extreme positions, and researchers have debated for years whether this was deliberate, and – if so – how this was achieved and what might have been its purpose.’

Stonehenge has gone through many phases of building and rebuilding, starting around 3,000 BC. The work was centred around a large circular ditch that had an inner and outer bank with two entrances. In the inner circle, archaeologists found 56 pits called the Aubrey Holes, some containing cremation burials. 

The southeastern burial plots are believed be meaningful, as in 2500 BC the famous large stones were laid down in this spot. 

Researchers say the long axis of the rectangle these stones form may align with the most southerly rising point of the Moon. 

The University of Oxford’s Dr Amanda Chadburn said: ‘Observing this connection first hand in 2024 and 2025 is crucial.

‘Unlike the Sun, tracking the Moon’s extremes isn’t straightforward, requiring specific timing and weather conditions.

‘We want to understand something of what it was like to experience these extreme Moonrises and sets and to witness their visual effects on the stones, for example, patterns of light and shadow, and consider modern influences like traffic and trees, and to document all of this through photography for future study.’

Stonehenge’s relationship with the Sun sees the summer solstice line up with the monument, where the sun rises behind the Heel Stone in the northeast part of the horizon, and the first rays shine directly into it. 

It is thought that Stonehenge could be an astronomical clock, but other theories suggest it could be a burial monument or a meeting place for leaders of different chiefdoms.