www.mikebouckley.net/stonehenge/index.html Updated Thu Aug 07 15:51:11 BST 2008 Back   Latest Equinox and Solstice News   Next Photo from Stonehenge, Solstice 2005:

   Stonehenge, near Avebury in Wiltshire.   Ancient Monuments.

Enduring, Enigmatic, - an object perfectly in place and time...
The stone structures are clearly an observatory and calendar.
Particularly showing the quarter days of the year,
the two Solstices and both Equinoxes, as festival days.

The site has a near level horizon about 3 miles away in most directions. It is at latitude 51 degrees, 17 minutes North. The Suns azimuth (degrees clockwise from North) of rising on Summer Solstice day is about 51 degrees. The Great Pyramid, Giza, the angle is 51 and a half degrees. The Sphynx, and the 3 Giza Pyramids are also attributed to the Anunnaki, being constructed before the Egyptian Civilisation was founded.

Linked to the procession of the Equinoxes is the 26,000 Astrological Great Year, and 2000+ year Ages, like the approaching Age of Aquarius.
Animation of Procession

Soon, in about 150 years, the Equinox Sunrise will occur in Aquarius, instead of Pisces as at present;   (interestingly we still start the zodiac with Aries - and that is 30 degree shifted from real Astronomy, also not correct either, if it is The Age of Aquarius approaching. This is determined by which contellation the Sun rises in, at the Spring Equinox, which is subject to the phonomena of procession, causing a kind of real-star-time, to travel backwards through the zodiac).

The Sun moves from North to South as June moves to December. Only on 2 days of the year - the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes does it rise and Set due East and West. Because of heavenly complexities involving factors like the oubliquity of the Ecliptic, the Sun swings anually from a summer declination (or celestial sphere of latitude) of +23.5 North to a corresponding winter declination of -23.5 South. That declination shift is a sizable 47 degrees, but because of the facts of spherical geometry, the angular variation in earthly viewing can be much larger. At the latitude of Stonehenge, sunrise goes from a compass direction of 51 degrees, almost North East, down to 129 degrees, almost South East, at midwinter.

Because the angle, or tilt of the earths axis with respect to its orbit plane changes with time, the point on the horizon at which the sun rises on midsummer morning moves, very slowly. For the last 9000 years this movement has been to the right along the horizon at a rate of about 2/100ths of a degree per century (1 degree in 5000 years) So the oblquity of the ecliptic is decreasing. The suns azimuth of rising is increasing, which means that its solstice horizon point of rising is moving eastward.

For a definition of terms used visit twilights   on the "weather underground" site.

The simple structure of Stonehenge 1 was superceeded by the giant sarcen stones, trilithons and circle. These provided fixed, well defined and sheltered viewing positions for the major events of equinox and solstice.

The equinox sun will always rise due east. At Stonehenge it was marked, by a now fallen Bluestone trilithon.

The solstice positon and alignments can be dated, as at other monuments, because the sun solstice position gradually moves with time. (ref. Sir Norman Lockyear).

Perhaps the Anunnaki (ancient visitors from the planet Neibru, which has a 3600 year orbit of the sun), were trying to leave an indication of their return date. - By means of the misnamed Slaughter stone, now fallen, but, standing would align with the horizon, and like the bowing (heel) stone, on the axis of the monument. The positon marked by the slaughter stone is now being approched by the summer solstice sunrise. The sun now stands full tangent on the horizon to the right of the bowing stone, but was correctly aligned around 1650 BC. The final stage of Phase III Stonehenge, seems to have been the removal of 2 gateway stones, flanking the Avenue, and the erection of the "slaughter" Stone.The Anunnaki are believed to have left the Earth, having very little further contact with humans, about 1550 BC. After which there is no more Megalithic Stone building, anywhere in the world. (with the much more recent exception of the Easter Island stones).

Photos show the standing heel or bowing stone, just touching the horizon, and the fallen "slaughter" stone, the nearer, right side of which may be the alignment.

The re-occurance of the planet Neibru may be due in about 900 years. A bright star, emerging from the constalation Centauri, or near Orion, and travelling comet like west to east accross the solar sytem passing through the asterioid belt, between Mars and Saturn. The appearence growing into a red crescent.

Probably the whole of Stonehenge was inspired by the Annunaki, first visiting 500,000 years ago, or their decendants, who had their knowledge, as passed down to humans (with kingship) after 10,000 BC - even supervised over 1000 years by one of them, aka Thoth. The Anunnaki may be able to arrive here, many years before their planet is visible.

It seems that Stonehenge was re-engineered to fit a shift from Taurus to Aries circa 3500 BC and again around 1550 BC.

Perhaps able to predict eclipses. A solid example, understanding the motions of the Earth and Moon.

There were 3 concrete circles in the car-park, just over the road from the monument, thought to be Totem Pole holes, and the oldest evidence of man at this site, or in UK, dating from after the end of the last ice-age, around 11000 BC.

The structures built evolved over many years. There is evidence of a ditch and bank of chalk, about 6 to 9 feet high surrounding it, open at the North East. It is probable that only the initiated few were allowed into the circle, to make observations.

The large Sarcen sandstones used and shaped to build the main structures, and all but one of the trilithons, were collected from the nearby Malborough Downs. These Grey weathers stones were deposited as a result of glaciation. Bluestones were imported from the Prescelly Mountains, Pembrokeshire, Wales, for their special properties, and mostly flame shaped.

Winter Solstice

At the Mid Winter Solstice, when viewed from the Avenue, North East, beyond the Bowing (heel) Stone, some 140 feet or more from the outer ring, the setting Sun is framed within the outer-ring, and through the central, big Trilithon (half knocked-down), looking along the main axis, to the South West.

The Sun can be observed standing still on the horizon for a few days, at its most Southerly point, which is South Westerly, then returning Northward, indicating renewal, and another solar year.

The Winter Full Moon may also be framed - in the top of the big trilithon archway, above the position of the Mid Winter Sunset. It is likely that eclipses were predicted, and the Moon may have re-appeared there.

This is possibly why this trilithon was later attacked, probably with fire, and pushed over. The remaining standing stone was leaning, and has since been straightened up (not precicely on axis). The fallen stone is broken in two, it, and the lintel, crashing into the unique central "Goddess" stone, of a greenish sandstone with mica, taken from the Pembroke Coast, which is now lying, just protruding above ground.

Stonhenge may also have been able to predict the 4 other main festivals, Imbloc, Beltane, Laamas, Samhain, (and or the Full Moon) at the 8th sections of the year.

I believe that Stonehenge 3 was deliberatly engineered to be enduring, and to embody the knowledge it demonstrates, and perhaps forcasts eclipses, and the future.

Excepts from the late Prof. Gerald S. Hawkins book, Stonehenge Decoded:
Stonehenge III Alignments
Table 1
Schematic Diagram
Station Stone Directions Table
Trilithon Direction Table
Station Stone Diagram

2006 Winter Solstice was cold and foggy. A quite large gathering, over 200 people, for about 2 hours access to the Stones.

The Autumn Equinox produced a small gathering of about 150 people.

The 2006 June Solstice was a really good night of drumming in the stones. Large gathering.

At the Spring Equinox, March 21st 2006 Stonehenge was open as usual, early in the morning, 5:30ish, with some security people on duty. Sunrise obsured by clouds. More people than usual, but still plenty of room in the circle, for dancing and musicians, some drumming. Celebrations were begun overnight on the droveway, with a few vans, trucks, campers and cars. People gathererd around a fire. A circle was cast, opened and inviting all. Good mellow vibe. Afterwards, many of us went to Avebury and the Red Lion Pub.

2005 was great! Crowd estimated at over 5000

2 more Photos by John Knowles:

2005 photo 2

2005 photo 3

Stonehenge   2003

Celebrations at the Solstice
On Saturday 21st. June the large temporary free Solstice car park at Stonehenge was opened from 00.01 hrs. to 14.00 hrs. - Many people who had left cars on the verge of the nearby roads were getting ticketed by Wiltshire Police - a tactic they have used for many years; it probably helps to pay some of the costs, otherwise borne by the local tax payers.

Free access to The Stones (subject to security searches) was only permitted from 02.00hrs. to 12.00 hrs.
The Solstice was at 19.12 hrs. on Saturday and so the Solstice dawn could have been either Saturday or Sunday.

Campaigners intended to protest at the decision to deny access with music fun and agit prop Morris dancing. They are demanding full restoration of their traditional rights of free access to Stonehenge and provision of land for camping while attending the Midsummer Solstice Celebration from the 21st to 23rd June 2003.

It was great to be there again, a big crowd, packed solid -like sardines, at the dawn. E. H. had designated the West side as Exit Only - the side you approach from the site entrance, So even drummers found it impossible to get in then. Helen the Hat thanked us all for coming to her party, and invited an American Indian to speak - that Stonehenge was one of the Earth's Chackras. That we should have better access to it.

Amplified music is banned by English Heritage but acoustic musicians and groups wanting to participate in the celebration should contact
stonehengeentertainmentsdiscussion

Bring a blanket, food, water, a drum, a guitar, what you expect to find and join in the fun for the future of the Stonehenge Midsummer Solstice Celebration.

More Info and Links   Hear the Drumming in the Stones!

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