Stonehenge is about to prove that you’re never too old to change with the times.
We might end up seeing more of the world’s wonders this year than we could have hoped to in a lifetime. As with many of the events that have been cancelled by COVID-19 this year, Stonehenge will stream the summer solstice live for the first time in its 5,000-year history. Meaning, everyone can experience this once-in-a-lifetime event from home.
Watching the sunrise behind the Heel Stone on the longest day of the year is a celebration that attracts thousands of people every year. This includes the cloaked and hooded druids, who tap the Heel Stone and sing as the first rays of sunlight beam from the horizon.
While the ancient site may be a megalithic mystery, it’s alignment with the sunrise and sunset on the mid-summer solstice is an undeniably moving experience.
The English Heritage, an organization that manages the world-renowned site in Wiltshire, consulted with health authorities and have decided the best course of action is to ask people not to visit the site and instead, allow the world to witness the wonderous event online.
“We have consulted widely on whether we could have proceeded safely and we would have dearly liked to host the event as per usual, but sadly, in the end, we feel we have no choice but to cancel,” said Stonehenge director Nichola Tasker, in a statement.
“We hope that our live stream offers an alternative opportunity for people near and far to connect with this spiritual place at such a special time of year and we look forward to welcoming everyone back next year,” she added
The streaming will cover both the sunset on Saturday 20th June and the sunrise on Sunday 21st June. Sunset is at 21:26 BST (13:26 PT) and sunrise is at 04:52 BST (20:52 PT). You can join the English Heritage’s Facebook Event to stay updated and get a reminder on the day.
Featured Image: Ankit Sood