Texas Survey July 2025 - Flipbook - Page 23
WEST TEXAS
Translating the Ancient Sky to Texas
One of the most fascinating parts of the project was aligning the UTPB Stonehenge to celestial
events — just as the original builders did over 4,000 years ago. Our goal was to ensure that the Heel
Stone on the eastern edge of the monument aligned with the summer solstice sunrise, just as it
does at the original site in England.
To do this, I first determined the solar azimuth for the summer solstice sunrise at the geographic
coordinates of Odessa, Texas (approximately 102.3°W longitude). Using astronomical ephemeris
data, I calculated that the sun rises at an azimuth of approximately 61.9° on June 21 at our latitude. I
then rotated the entire CAD layout of the stone circle so that the central axis — from the center of
the inner horseshoe to the Heel Stone — pointed
precisely along this bearing. This ensured that on the summer solstice, the sun would rise directly
over the Heel Stone when viewed from the center of the circle.
However, as with many projects that bridge ideal geometry and a modern landscape, we
encountered an obstacle: a campus light pole was directly in the path of the sunrise view. It would
have blocked the sun on the morning of the solstice, compromising the visual effect and the
astronomical integrity of the alignment. After reviewing options with university officials and the
facilities team, we coordinated to relocate the pole outside the corridor of sight, preserving the
intended sunrise line through the Heel Stone.
In addition to the solar alignment, we also accounted for lunar alignments, specifically the major
lunar standstill points, which occur roughly every 18.6 years. The original Stonehenge incorporates
four "station stones" that many scholars believe were aligned with the moon's extreme rise and set
positions. At UTPB, we honored this tradition by placing four corner stones along the outer
perimeter that correspond with the azimuths of the northern and southern moonrises and
moonsets during a major standstill. These bearings were adapted to our latitude and adjusted
within the constraints of the site.
The result was a plan that not only mirrored the proportions of the original Stonehenge but also
honored its astronomical intent — capturing the ancient relationship between monument and sky,
even under the vast Texas sun.
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