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 canceled by COVID-19 this year, Stonehenge will stream the summer solstice live for the first time in its 5,000-year history. Meaning that everyone can experience this once-in-a-lifetime event from home.
Watching the sun rise 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, its alignment with the sunrise and sunset on the mid-summer solstice is an undeniably moving experience.
English Heritage, the organization that manages the world-renowned Wiltshire site, 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 wondrous 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, June 20 and the sunrise on Sunday June, 21. Sunset is at 21:26 BST (4:26pm EST) and sunrise is at 04:52 BST (11:52pm EST). You can join the English Heritage’s Facebook Event to stay updated and get a reminder on the day.
Featured Image: Ankit Sood