Lunar standstill
Every 18.6 years, there is a significant lunar standstill. It adds a dramatic quality to the Moon’s passage across the sky and lasts for several months. This can be due to the declination, or angle, that exists between the Moon and the celestial equator. Every day, the Moon typically rises and sets in almost the same location.
But its course alters with a major lunar standstill. The Moon rises higher in the sky in both the north and the south. As a result of this modification, the Moon appears to move differently than usual. The places on the horizon where it rises and sets are at the northern and southernmost extremes. Consequently, we see the Moon moving at steeper angles. The Moon peaks lower than usual on some evenings, yet seems much higher in the sky on others. The major lunar standstill doesn’t happen on just one day but unfolds over a period of time.
Dates to see Lunar Standstill in 2024 and 2025
The last major lunar standstill was seen in the year 2006. The next one starts in 2024, when the declination of the Moon gets even more extreme. The halt is anticipated to be most noticeable around late 2024 and early 2025, for anyone who is keen to observe this event.
The following dates represent the next full Moons, when one can witness the impacts of the lunar standstill:
June 21, 2024
July 21, 2024
August 19, 2024
September 17, 2024
October 17, 2024
November 15, 2024
December 15, 2024
January 13, 2025
February 12, 2025
March 14, 2025
April 12, 2025
May 12, 2025
June 11, 2025
July 10, 2025
August 9, 2025
September 7, 2025
October 6, 2025
November 4, 2025
December 4, 2025
Connection with Stonehenge
As per the reports of the U.S. Sun, some researchers speculate that there may be a connection between major moon standstills and the ancient English monument known as Stonehenge.
According to English Heritage, Stonehenge is thought to have been planned and constructed to commemorate at least one significant lunar standstill.
FAQs:
Q1. What is a major lunar standstill?
A1. A major lunar standstill occurs every 18.6 years, when the Moon’s path across the sky becomes more dramatic, rising higher in the north and south.
Q2. What are the dates to see the lunar standstill in 2024 and 2025?
A2. The effects of the lunar standstill during full Moons can be observed on these dates from June 21, 2024 to December 4, 2025.
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