| Summer Solstice 2025: The moment that the sun reaches its most northerly declination of the year is June 21st at 02:43.
So the markers for it are sunset of June 20th and sunrise of June 21st although the most eagle-eyed observer would be very hard pressed to spot any differences of rise/set positions for a week to either side.
Note that modern solstices fall short of their prehistoric horizon positions to such a degree that they now indicate positions that would have been a couple of weeks away from the solstices then. At solstices, lunistices are at or close to full & new moons. Thus north lunistices are too close to new moon to be visible, while south lunistices may be seen both rising and setting. Closest full moon is on June 11th at 07:45 but is not quite a south lunistice - these happen around sunset of June 11th and sunrise of June 12th. The next full moon is on July 10th at 20:38 with lunistice sets in the south-west during astronomical twilight on June 8/9. |
| May Day / Beltane / Bealtaine 2025: Though this festival has been moved to the first of the month, it was originally the half-way point between spring equinox and summer solstice.
This year the markers for it are sunset of May 5th and sunrise of May 6th.
The equivalent prehistoric solar positions now occur at sunrise and sunset of May 4th.
Nearest full moon is May 12th at 16:57 with the preceding one on April 13th at 00:23. A gibbous lunistice may be seen rising in the early hours of April 18th & 19th in the south-east. Next a setting crescent in the north-west around the middle of the night of April 30th / May 1st. Then another rising gibbous lunistice in the south-east at a similar time in the middle of the night of May 15/16th. |
| Spring Equinox 2025: This year the sun crosses the equator, from south to north, on March 20th at 09:03.
Because the equinox marks the centre point of the wobbles, there is no visual difference between prehistoric equinoctial sun rise / set positions and modern ones.
Nearest full moon is March 14th at 07:00. This is also a total lunar eclipse. Equinoctial eclipses occur during periods of "lunar standstill" when, as now, the distance along the horizon between north and south lunistices is at or close to its maximum value or, at or near to minimum value as it will be in 9 years or so. At equinoxes, the nearest lunistices are at or near to first and last quarter. This year, setting in the north-west a couple of days after first quarter, well before dawn on March 7th & 8th. Then, even earlier in the night, on March 22nd the almost last quarter rises in the south-east. The next lunistice after that is a fat crescent that sets at a similar time on April 4th in the north-west. |
| Imbolc 2025: The winter cross-quarter day that marks the mid-point between winter solstice and spring equinox.
The beginning of growth and not February 1st but Feb 3rd / 4th.
Originally this fire festival was established by day count but post-pagan calendar changes have moved its official celebration to the first of the month... Now, the interval happens to be an equal number of days so the solar markers for it are sunset of February 3rd and sunrise of February 4th. The equivalent prehistoric solar positions are sunset of Jan 31st and sunrise of Feb 1st. Nearest full moons are Jan 13th @ 22:28 and, a bit closer, Feb 12th @ 13:54. A waxing gibbous lunistice setting in the north-west may be seen around dawn on Jan 12th, then a waning crescent rising in the south-east occurs before dawn on Jan 26th. The next pair of lunistices are about an hour earlier, setting in the north-west on Feb 8th and rising in the south-east on Feb 23rd. Get details of all lunistices in 2025 here |
| Winter Solstice 2024: This year the sun reaches its most southerly point at at 09:22 on December 21st.
You would have to be very eagle-eyed to spot any difference in solar rising & setting positions for several days to either side of this date.
At winter solstice, south lunistices are too close to new moon to be visible at all whilst north lunistices are at or close to full moon and thus, normally, visible both rising and setting. This year, the preceding and closest full moon is at 09:03 on Dec 15th with its related lunistices on the same day, rising in the north-east and setting in the north-west. The following full moon is at 22:28 on Jan 13th but the lunistice sets in the north-west on the morning of the 12th. |
| Samhain 2024: The sun is half-way between autumn equinox and winter solstice on Nov 6th this year but the prehistoric equivalent solar rise & set positions are on Nov 9th. Nearest full moons are Oct 17th at 11:28 and Nov 15th at 21:30 with the latter being closer. Thus Samhain is just after new moon with a thin crescent moon briefly visible setting in the south-west. The preceding lunistices are a waning gibbous moon rising in the north-east on Oct 21st and a waxing crescent, setting in the south-west on Nov 4th. Following this solar fire festival, the next lunistice is a waning gibbous moon, rising in the north-east on Nov 18th. |
| Autumn Equinox 2024: This year the sun crosses the equator from north to south at 12:45 on September 22nd.
The nearest full moon is a few days earlier, at 02:45 on Sept 18th and is also a partial eclipse.
At equinoxes, the nearest lunistices are at or near to first and last quarter. This year, setting in the south-west late on Sept 11th and rising in the north-east slightly earlier on Sept 24th and then setting in the south-west earlier again on Oct 9th. |
| Lughnasadh / Lammass 2024: Is on August 6th this year and not August 1st as as given by the modern western (Gregorian) calendar,
because this fire festival was originally the half-way marker between summer solstice and autumn equinox.
It is traditionally associated with funeral games that are (presumably) related to the supposed death of a corn deity as this is also the festival of "the first fruits" of the harvest.
Many localities still have races and similar competitive activities around this time. The equivalent prehistoric sun rise & set positions are on Aug 7th.
Nearest full moons are July 21st @ 10:18, with the next on August 18th @ 02:45 being the closest and also a partial lunar eclipse. Lunistices are: early on July 19th, waxing gibbous, setting in the south-west; earlier on Aug 1st, waning crescent, rising in the north-east; earlier again on Aug 16th, waxing gibbous, setting in the south-west; late on Aug 27th & 28th, waning quarter, rising in the north-east. We are currently in a period of "Major Lunar Standstill". This means that lunistices are now occurring at their maximum distance north & south of the equator. This standstill period lasts quite some time (more than a year) with some slight positional "wobbles" month by month that are negligeable in terms of naked eye observation. |
| Summer Solstice 2024: This year the sun reaches its most northerly point at 20:52 on June 20th.
At solstices, lunistices are at or close to full & new moons. Thus north lunistices are too close to new moon to be visible, while south lunistices may be seen both rising and setting. Closest full moon is on June 22nd at 01:09 with the previous one on May 23rd at 13:54. A waning gibbous lunistice rises in the south-east, late on May 25th. On June 7th, the one setting in the north-west, a day after new moon, will most likely not be visible. Then the next lunistice may be seen rising in the south-east around sunset on the 21st and setting in the south-west around sunrise on the 22nd. The northern lunistice of July 5th is again too close to new moon to be visible but from then on until winter solstice, visible lunistices will rise in the north-east and set in the south-west. |
| May Day / Beltane / Bealtaine 2024: Though this festival was been moved to the first of the month, it was originally the half-way point between spring equinox and summer solstice.
This year the markers for it are sunset and sunrise of May 5th.
The equivalent prehistoric solar positions now occur at sunset of May 3rd and sunrise of May 4th.
Nearest full moon is April 23rd at 23:50 with the following one on May 23rd at 13:54. New moon is May 8th at 03:23. A gibbous lunistice may be seen rising on April 28th / 29th in the south-east. Then a setting crescent one in the north-west on May 11th / 12th. |
| Spring Equinox 2024: This year the sun crosses the equator, from south to north, on March 20th at 03:07.
Because the equinox marks the centre point of the wobbles, there is no visual difference between prehistoric equinoctial sun rise / set positions and modern ones.
Nearest full moon is March 25th at 07:14. This is also a penumbral lunar eclipse but unlikely to be visible to the naked eye. Equinoctial eclipses occur during the period of "lunar standstill" when the distance along the horizon between north and south lunistices is at or close to its maximum value. At equinoxes, the nearest lunistices are at or near to first and last quarter. This year, setting in the north-west as first quarter, well before dawn on March 17th and again in essentially the same position on the 18th. Even earlier in the night on April 1st the last quarter equivalent rises in the south-east. The next lunistice after that is a fat crescent that sets at a similar time on April 14th in the north-west. |
| Imbolc 2024: the winter cross-quarter day that marks the mid-point between winter solstice and spring equinox.
This year the solar markers for it are sunset of February 3rd and sunrise of February 4th.
The equivalent prehistoric solar positions are sunrise and sunset of Feb 1st.
Nearest full moons are Jan 25th at 17:55 & Feb 24th at 12:32, with new moon on Feb 9th at 23:00. A waxing gibbous lunistice setting in the north-west may be seen before dawn on Jan 23rd, then a waning crescent rising in the south-east occurs before dawn on Feb 6th & 7th. The next pair of lunistices are about an hour earlier, setting in the north-west on Feb 19th and rising in the south-east on March 5th. New webpage: Lunistices 2024 for a full listing. |
| Winter Solstice 2023: This year the sun reaches its most southerly point at at 03:28 on December 22nd.
You would have to be very eagle-eyed to spot any difference in solar position for several days to either side of this date.
At winter solstice, south lunistices are too close to new moon to be visible at all, whilst north lunistices are at or close to full moon and thus, normally, visible both rising and setting. This year, the preceding full moon is at 09:17 on Nov 27th with its related lunistice on the 29th, rising in the north-east. The following and closest full moon is 00:33 on Dec 27th and this day also coincides with the lunistices. |
| Samhain 2023: The sun is half-way between equinox and solstice on Nov 7th but the prehistoric equivalent solar rise & set positions are on Nov 10th. Nearest full moon is on Oct 28th at 20:14 and will be a partial lunar eclipse. The preceding lunistices are a fat crescent, setting in the south-west on Oct 20th and a waning gibbous moon, rising in the north-east on Nov 1st. Following the fire festival, lunistices are a fat crescent, setting in the south-west on Nov 16th and a waning gibbous moon, rising in the north-east on Nov 29th. |
| Autumn Equinox 2023: This year the sun crosses the equator from north to south at 06:50 on September 23rd.
The nearest full moon is almost a week later, at 09:58 on Sept 29th.
At equinoxes, the nearest lunistices are at or near to first and last quarter. This year, setting in the south-west on Sept 22nd and rising in the north-east on Oct 5th. |
| Lughnasadh / Lammass 2023: Is August 7th; not the 1st as as given by the modern western calendar,
because this fire festival was originally the half-way marker between summer solstice and autumn equinox.
It is traditionally associated with funeral games that are (presumably) related to the supposed death of a corn deity as this is also the festival of "the first fruits" of the harvest.
Many localities still have races and similar competitive activities around this time.
Nearest full moon is (coincidentally) on August 1st @ 18:32. Leading up to this, it may be possible to see a thin crescent lunistice rising in the north-east in the early hours of July 16th. This is followed by a waxing gibbous lunistice setting in the south-west, about an hour earlier on July 30th. After the cross-quarter, the next crescent lunistice rises in the north-east, close to the middle of the night of Aug 11/12. Then, a gibbous lunistice sets in the south-west, close to the middle of the night of Aug 26/27, a few days before the full moon of Aug 31st @ 01:36. |
| Summer Solstice 2023: The sun reaches its most northerly point at 14:58 on June 21st.
There is a full moon on June 4th at 03:42 but the one on July 3rd at 11:39 is closer. At solstices, lunistices are at or close to full & new moons thus north lunistices are too close to new moon to be visible at this time of year. A lunistice moonrise may be seen in the south-east a couple of hours after sunset of June 5th but the lunistice of July 3rd, being the one closest to summer solstice, may be seen setting in the south-west about an hour before sunrise and then rising in the south-east after sunrise. |
| Spring Equinox 2023: This year the sun crosses the equator, from south to north, on March 20th at 21:25.
Because the equinox marks the centre point of the wobbles, there is no significant visual difference between the prehistoric equinox and the modern one.
New moon is March 21st @17:23, so the nearest full moons are March 7th @ 12:41 and April 6th @ 04:35. At the equinoxes, lunistices are close to the first and last quarters of the moon. There is a waning one, rising in the south-east, a couple of hours before dawn on March 16th followed by a waxing one, setting in the north-west, about an hour earlier on March 29th. The next lunistice after that rises in the south-east on April 12th, an hour or so earlier again. |
| Imbolc 2023: is the winter cross-quarter that is half-way between winter solstice and spring equinox.
This year the solar markers for it are sunset of February 3rd and sunrise of February 4th.
Full moon is Feb 5th @ 18:29. Preceded by a waxing gibbous lunistice, setting in the north-west, some time before dawn on Feb 2nd and followed by a waning crescent lunistice, rising in the south-east somewhat earlier on Feb 16th. The next lunistice after that sets in the north-west on March 1st. |
| Winter Solstice 2022: This year the sun reaches its most southerly point at at 21:49 on December 21st.
You would have to be very eagle-eyed to spot any difference in solar position for several days to either side of this date.
So this is supposed to be a long festival, perhaps a month or so overall, perhaps from full moon to full moon.
At winter solstice, south lunistices are too close to new moon to be visible at all, whilst north lunistices are at or close to full moon and thus, normally, visible both rising and setting. This year, new moon is at 10:17 on Dec 23rd, with the previous full moon at 04:08 on the 8th and the next one on Jan 6th at 23:08. So, a dark solstice. |
| Samhain 2022: The sun is half-way between equinox and solstice on Nov 6/7 so the most accurate markers for current time are sunset of Nov 6th and sunrise of Nov 7th. The prehistoric equivalents are sun rise & set of Nov 10th. The preceding lunistice is a fat crescent, setting in the south-west on Oct 29th. Full moon is on Nov 8th at 10:59 and will be a total lunar eclipse but, obviously, not visible from Ireland. The next lunistice is a waning gibbous moon in the north-east on Nov 12th. |
Ancient Sacred Places
The prehistoric sites: pictures, information & explanations
Axial Alignments
Axial alignments: pictures, interpretations and statistics
Prehistoric Horizon Calendars
The calendrical views: panoramic or by sector
Whole Horizon Analysis
Statistics and pictorial examples
Summaries
Introduction & explanations
Hyperborea
This essay corrects common errors of attribution. Thus confirming that a Hyperborean 19 year calendar was documented some considerable time before 19 year lunar cycles were officially discovered by Meton in 432BCE.
Stellarium Landscapes
Download landscapes for use with a planetarium app.
The prehistoric sites: pictures, information & explanations
Axial Alignments
Axial alignments: pictures, interpretations and statistics
Prehistoric Horizon Calendars
The calendrical views: panoramic or by sector
Whole Horizon Analysis
Statistics and pictorial examples
Summaries
Introduction & explanations
Hyperborea
This essay corrects common errors of attribution. Thus confirming that a Hyperborean 19 year calendar was documented some considerable time before 19 year lunar cycles were officially discovered by Meton in 432BCE.
Stellarium Landscapes
Download landscapes for use with a planetarium app.
News and updates
All times are GMT / UTC. Exact rise & set times depend on observer location & local horizon profile.
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