Image:Summer Solstice 2005 Sunrise over Stonehenge 01.jpg

• Description:

• Photographer: Photograph © Andrew Dunn, 04:59 BST 21 June 2005

[edit] Description of the solar alignment

If you look at this aerial view, north is approximately along the path to the right. On the morning of the solstice, the sun rises from behind the Heel Stone in the bottom right hand corner, and can be observed on an alignment running from the Heel stone, passing between the two Slaughter Stones (only one remains fallen on the outer bank), through the outer Sarsen ring, across the centre of the henge, then between the tallest trilith at the back of the Sarsen horseshoe. If you continue the line onward to the bank and ditch top left, that's the point from which this photo is taken.

On taking this photograph, I was surprised at how sensitive the alignment is. Although the bank was crowded with people, if I stepped one person to the left or right, the sun disappeared from between the arch of the Sarsen circle and was blocked by one stone or another.

[edit] Tallest stone

Today the tallest trilith at the back of the Sarsen horseshoe is largely collpased. Only one of its three stones remains standing, which is the tallest stone just left of the sun in this photograph.

The lintel stones on the triliths and the outer Sarsen circle are held in place with mortise and tenon joints. I believe the triangular spike on top of the tallest stone, is the tenon exposed after its neighbouring stones had fallen.

Keywords: Summer Solstice, Stonehenge

Photograph © Andrew Dunn, 04:59 BST, 21 June 2005.

Website: http://www.andrewdunnphoto.com/

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