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Last Post 5/21/2015 8:41 AM by Pat Reiff

observatories

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Anonymous

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5/18/2015 12:10 PM
kristie r have any of you ever been to stonehenge in england?

Tags: stonehenge, Newgrange, Solar Observatory, Ireland

Claire Raftery

New Member

Posts:71

5/19/2015 2:07 PM
I haven't been to Stonehenge, but I've been to a similar, older site in Ireland called Newgrange. This is the oldest solar observatory - even older than Stonehenge and the pyramids. On the morning of the winter solstice, there is a little gap above the door that aligns perfectly with the Sun, filling the chamber with light. This is very impressive, given that it was built thousands of years ago!

Christina Cohen

Basic Member

Posts:148

5/19/2015 6:49 PM
Hi Kristie, I've been to Stonehenge. Even though I had seen a lot of pictures of it before going, seeing it in person is just incredible. The stone lintels (horizontal pieces supported by vertical stones) are enormous and it is amazing to realize that there used to many, many more of them. It truly is an engineering wonder. If you ever get the chance to visit, definitely go! -Christina

Pat Reiff

New Member

Posts:83

5/21/2015 8:41 AM
Yes, I've been to Stonehenge too... nowadays you can't get as close as you used to be able to. Another interesting solar alignment in the Americas is Chaco Canyon and many of the Mayan pyramids, like Chichen Itza. That is neat to go at the equinoxes (to see the snake traveling down the edge of the pyramid), or the solstices (alignments of pyramids).