Stonehenge has aligned with the sun on the solstices for thousands of years, but is it possible that it also aligns with the moon? A once-in-a-generation event, known as a "major lunar standstill" is now underway, and scientists are ready to investigate whether ancient people built the monument to align with our natural satellite.
A major lunar standstill occurs every 18.6 years, when the moon rises and sets at a more northerly and southerly place along the horizon than usual, according to a statement from the Royal Astronomical Society. What's more, from our perspective on Earth, the moon will reach higher altitudes in the sky than the summer sun and lower altitudes than the winter sun.
