In most ancient and modern megalithic places around the world, the placement and organization of stones suggest a symbolic geometry that integrates us with life, death, the sun, moon, planets, stars, water and perhaps other phenomena. Seasonal alignments have been intentionally set up in several places around Kinstone. We celebrate and acknowledge the passing of the seasons by observing these alignments which help us visualize and experience the continual dance between the Sun, the Earth, and Polaris.
The solstices and equinoxes are astronomical events that mark the seasons experienced on Earth. They occur on four special days each year. The exact date of each equinox and solstice can vary by a day or two each year – mostly because our Gregorian calendar system counts years of 365 days, but the Earth takes 365.242199 days to complete one orbit of the Sun. Solstices and equinoxes happen about 6 hours later each year – eventually lagging so far as to fall onto the next date. Then we add in a leap day every 4 years which sets the events back to an earlier date again. In addition, there is a bit of influence from a “wobble” in Earth’s orbit called “precession” – but I don’t claim to understand this much.
Please join us to honor and acknowledge the passing of the seasons on these special dates at sunrise or sunset as the case may be. Check the Kinstone Events Calendar to get details about specific dates and times to witness our seasonal alignments and other events that may be of interest. Early risers get to see some pretty special scenes when the skies are clear! Don’t go back to sleep!
Seasonal alignments at Kinstone
Vernal Equinox Sunrise (March 19/20/21)
- WHEN: at sunrise on the Vernal Equinox, usually around 7:00AM
- WHERE: the Three Witnesses sculpture
- WHAT: the sun shines through the Equinox Window in the Three Witnesses sculpture and highlights the heart shape in the center column of stone called the “Heart Stone”; this is called the Equinox Heart Alignment.
- Note: this is the same as what happens on the Autumnal Equinox at sunrise
Vernal Equinox Sunset (March 19/20/21)
- WHEN: at sunset on the Vernal Equinox, usually around 7:00PM
- WHERE: the Enlightenment Stones, also known as Atlas and Lancelot
- WHAT: the setting sun aligns to cast the shadow of Lancelot onto the face of Atlas while also shining light through the perforations in Lancelot to cause a vertical line of bright dots of light to appear in the shadow on Atlas. This is also a time and place when cameras can catch a bright sunburst when the sun is shining in just the right way through one of the holes in Lancelot; this gives people a chance to place their hands around one of those holes and when photographed, they appear to be holding a brilliant sunburst – which we call “catching the sun”.
- Note: this is the same as what happens on the Autumnal Equinox at sunset
Summer Solstice Sunrise (June 20/21/2)
- WHEN: at sunrise on the Summer Solstice, usually around 5:30AM
- WHERE: the Great Stone Circle
- WHAT: the sun appears at the beginning of the Summer Solstice Corridor; the light is ushered through the Corridor Stones, into the center of the Great Stone Circle and onto the “Shadow Stone” which shines golden in the light. Bright sunlight will cast the shadow of anyone standing in the center of the circle at this time onto the Shadow Stone.
Summer Solstice Sunset (June 20/21/22)
- In 2018, Kristine began planning an alignment for sunset on Summer Solstice which would occur annually on this date at around 8:50PM. This alignment has not been completed. Currently there is a partial alignment with the RPK Memorial Stone and the Harp Stone. It is unclear at this time if this alignment will ever be completed.
- There are currently no special observances held to witness this event at Kinstone.
Autumnal Equinox Sunrise (September 20/21/22)
- WHEN: at sunrise on the Autumnal Equinox, usually around 7:00AM
- WHERE: the Three Witnesses sculpture
- WHAT: the sun shines through the Equinox Window in the Three Witnesses sculpture and highlights the heart shape in the center column of stone called the “Heart Stone”; this is called the Equinox Heart Alignment.
- Note: this is the same as what happens on the Vernal Equinox at sunrise
Autumnal Equinox Sunset (September 20/21/22)
- WHEN: at sunset on the Autumnal Equinox, usually around 7:00PM
- WHERE: the Enlightenment Stones, also known as Atlas and Lancelot
- WHAT: the setting sun aligns to cast the shadow of Lancelot onto the face of Atlas while also shining light through the perforations in Lancelot to cause a vertical line of bright dots of light to appear in the shadow on Atlas. This is also a time and place when cameras can catch a bright sunburst when the sun is shining in just the right way through one of the holes in Lancelot; this gives people a chance to place their hands around one of those holes and when photographed, they appear to be holding a brilliant sunburst – which we call “catching the sun”.
- Note: this is the same as what happens on the Vernal Equinox at sunset
Winter Solstice Sunrise (December 20/21/22)
- WHEN: at sunrise on the Winter Solstice, usually around 7:50AM
- WHERE: the Great Stone Circle
- WHAT: the sun rises between the Chair Stones that sit just outside of the Great Stone Circle; the light passes between the two Winter Solstice Guardian stones that stand as part of the circle and shines into the center of the circle.
Winter Solstice Sunset (December 20/21/22)
- WHEN: at sunset on the Winter Solstice, usually around 4:30PM
- WHERE: the Great Stone Circle
- WHAT: the setting sun lines up with the “Shadow Stone”; the same stone that is highlighted on Summer Solstice at sunrise. Note that this alignment is difficult to see since there are trees obstructing the path of light from the setting sun to the Great Stone Circle.
- There are currently no special observances held to witness this event at Kinstone.
