I have all the dates of the high/low north/south major lunar standstill events here: www.exploreglobe.net/major-lunar-standstill.html

Hi, great question! If you look at the diagram at 10:20 in the video, you'll see the intersecting plane of the lunar orbit in the ecliptic plane over the course of the year. The diagram simplifies the situation as the orientation looks the same throughout the year with the high point to the left in the diagram and the low point always to the right, but in reality it is already shifting slightly after the Earth completes an orbit, and all this adds up to a complete cycle of over 18.6 years with the high/low point occurring all in all directions in turn until returning to the original configuration. Halfway through the cycle (9.3 years) would have the high point to the right and low to the left in the diagram. Even that is a simplification because the high/low point and the ascending/descending nodes (when the moon crosses the plane of the ecliptic) each month don't actually progress smoothly from point to point, but due to all the complex gravitational tugs, on average the configuration progresses and repeats each cycle. Eclipses occur at the nodes and that is why you don't get eclipses at the same time of year every year until the cycle repeats. As for the equatorial plane, even that precesses as the direction the Earth's axis points in space changes over a cycle of something like 25,000 years, but compared to the 18.6 year standstill cycle, it is the change in the orientation of the lunar orbit that is observable from cycle to cycle. I hope this helps answer your question, please let me know, and here is a link to more info/diagrams on the website: www.exploreglobe.net/moon.html

@@ArchaeoastronomyDatabase Thanks for the explanation. Does this mean that we will se the moon rising in the same place on the horizon every 18.6 years?

@@griffintroster5229 the exact same rising position will not always line up because the timing of the Earth's spin, the movement of the moon along it's orbit, etc. don't all fit together. The 19 year Metonic cycle is related and will have the moon repeat its position, but even that doesn't fit exactly 19 years and gets off a bit over time. However, if you are talking about the extreme horizon position at a major lunar standstill, yes as the 18.6 year cycle reaches an orientation to enable the maximum rise/set positions of the moon on the horizon to the north/south each month, then it will slow and seem to stand still at those extreme positions, but again the timing may change things slightly. 9.3 years later at the minor lunar standstill the moon will slow and reverse direction on the horizon at a minimum range, so this is another repeating horizon position that could be marked. Have you seen some of my other lunar standstill videos? Most are in this playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIeWoWB-nJuUa5Y

@@ArchaeoastronomyDatabase Thanks!

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Lots more info on the website: www.exploreglobe.net/moon.html

You are most welcome!

Thank you! I'm glad you like it! Let me know if you get a chance to try it out and how it worked for you.

You are most welcome! Let me know if you find it useful or if you have any questions. Thanks!

Thanks, I'm glad you like it! It has been a long process. Please let me know how it works for you. Share your experience.

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Lots more resources on the website: www.exploreglobe.net/archaeoastronomy.html and over on Facebook: facebook.com/groups/archastrodb

Do you mean in the 'Astronomical calculations window'? I haven't used that much, so I'm not familiar with the limitations. Maybe you can get the data you want from the JPL Horizons System app website.

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

Thanks! It is a fascinating carving, I'm glad you liked it!

Yes indeed, but be sure to toggle Topocentric back on for any use at a specific site as that will best simulate what is seen from the ground.

It all depends on how accurately you need the data. When I move the sun to the maximum horizon solstice positions in -13000 and then advance back one year to -13001 the actual declination jumps instantly by 2 degrees and the azimuth change resulting from that at a given location will then be changed as well, for example at latitude 53.5 the azimuth changes by 4.5 degrees. Hopefully that helps. If not, tell me a little more about what you are trying to do and your method (time corrections, etc.) and I'll see if I can offer better info.

​@@ArchaeoastronomyDatabase I'm trying to find the year that the sun rises and sets on the solstices at known azimuths and at a particular geographic location. I just tried installing the ephemeris data that corrects back to 13,000 BC. I see what you mean how the sun jumps when changing the year to 13,001 BC. I think the year I'm looking for is before then as it would be when the Earth's obliquity is less than than it is now. For years older than 13,000 BC could I simply use the "ecliptic of date" line as marker for where the sun should be?

@@MyThingsRedux I think that would be better as it doesn't jump instantly. You can even turn on "Solstices (of date)" in the 'Markings' tab for a symbol to appear on the ecliptic line to mark the positions. We don't really know what the tilt of the Earth was as accurately the further back we go, but you can find various models online. Here is a place to start: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axial_tilt Also, are you taking into account the horizon altitude along your known azimuths?

​@@ArchaeoastronomyDatabase Yes I understand the models of obliquity change aren't a perfect understanding. I assume Stellarium does a good enough job of modelling it for my purposes. If there's any other software I could use for my project then let me know. Yes I have factored in the horizon altitude. Most of the azimuths are over the ocean, nice and easy.

@@MyThingsRedux Awesome! I hope your investigation goes well. Please do share what you can when you can!

Thank you! I'm glad you liked the video. Any plans to visit on one of the northern lunar standstill events? They are ongoing over the next year or so though for moonset there are better times/phases. I have a post on Facebook with good info links: facebook.com/share/p/gxFKY9whUEt8fY5F/

I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Rudston is fascinating, a monolith that tall certainly had some great significance. I took a look at the surrounding cursus monuments and found some interesting sightline alignments from the terminal ends (though obstructed today). The Devils Arrows has some likely standstill alignments similar to Thornborough. I'm not familiar with Skipsea 'castle', is it built on an earlier site?

@@ArchaeoastronomyDatabase Skips castle isn't a castle, recent research has found it to be a pyramid mound, the same as Silbury hill. There is what appears to be a cursus of some kind not too Far East of Thornborough, it starts as Badger bank a mile west of Watt, and moves north east with a slight turn at Sutton Howgrave, it eventually terminates (or appears to terminate) at Ainderby Steeple. You can see it on older google earth images, in fact you have shown a section of it in this video next to one of the lost henges. Hope you find this useful .

@@hairblimp fascinating stuff! Thanks for sharing! Do you know of anywhere with more info, maps, images etc. that I could look. What is the timestamp in the video where some of the cursus appears?

@@ArchaeoastronomyDatabase 7 mins, 45 seconds you have the cursus going bottom to top through the centre of the screen, the ring mark you highlight to the right of it is the remains of a Cairn, there is another crop mark just above the Cairn which is very interesting, as for maps, try searching for the 1888 6" to 1 mile ordnance survey map, it has all the lost henges marked upon it but not this Cursus, it took aviation photography to bring that to light, incidentally there was a Chariot burial found right next to it several years ago.

You are most welcome!

The absolute maximum usually takes place at a half moon phase near the equinoxes, but the exact maximum observable from any place on Earth can change based on the timing of the lunar orbit and its precession. In reality for around 2 years either side of this the moon will reach practically the same maximum positions to the north and south at various phases occur every month. As for the significance to people in the past setting up such alignments, the first step is to gather data and document the possibilities (an area where there is A LOT more work to be done despite a few famous places that seem to get all the attention). I think the significance could range from simple desire to connect to the pattern of these extremes (like the solstices are the yearly extremes of the sun) all the way up to the possible interest in tracking these patterns because of how they connect with the timing of lunar (and solar) eclipses. Of course there is going to be a lot of culture and mythology connected as well, but there is only so much we can glean from what is left behind. Again, the first step is to preserve, document, and aggregate the data (especially before it disappears at some sites).

@@ArchaeoastronomyDatabase thank you

@@flip180668 You are welcome! I have some other videos and resources on the website with dates for the current major lunar standstill of the cycle if you are interested: www.exploreglobe.net/major-lunar-standstill.html

A fascinating site for sure! There is so much to do!

Thanks! I really want to raise awareness. There is so much important archaeoastronomy work to be done! I hope that I can make a contribution!

You are welcome! Glad you liked it!

During a major lunar standstill the moon reaches mostly the same extremes from month to month over a period longer than a year, with the absolute maximums usually occurring near equinoxes during half moon phases. The difference between absolute maximums is small, and the extreme positions near the solstices with full moon phases (like the one in June) are among the most dramatic to witness. I have some other videos with links to resources with more information and graphs of the fluctuating positions/phases.

Indeed! I sort of think of those at the lunar tropics & ant(arctic) circles.

It is amazing to experience it! Thanks for sharing!

naw bruh, I checked

You are most welcome! Glad you like it! If you get a chance, I hope you can watch the full version.

Thanks, and to you too!

Thank you for your enthusiasm and interest! I hope you enjoyed it!

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Indeed! I am endlessly fascinated by the imagination and ingenuity! Thanks for your comment!

Missed it live due to 4yo having nightmares, looking forward to watching asap. Thank you 💚🙌

@@christiegoodlet7955 I hope the nightmares have abated. 🙏 Let me know how you like the video when you get a chance to watch back. Best!

I'm glad you enjoyed the video and visiting this wonderful ancient site!

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it!

I'm glad you found the video useful! I hope it helps people understand the lunar standstills, especially as we are experiencing the major standstill right now and through next year.

Thank you!

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I wasn't quite sure how it would go, but it was fun!