Astronomy on Tap in the Triangle: The Stonehenge Observatory

Come check out Astronomy on Tap Triangle, our North Carolina chapter of short and engaging talks about astronomy over beer. Find us in the taproom of Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, NC from 7-9 PM on Wednesday, October 4th!

Have you ever wondered “what the heck is Stonehenge?” If you have, you’re in great company. Luckily, we have someone to help us figure things out! Using a three-dimensional computer recreation of Stonehenge, Dr. Dan Reichart (UNC-CH) will help us explore the site’s astronomical properties, primarily by inserting ourselves into the simulation and watching solar and lunar alignments in real time, as they occurred thousands of years ago.  The program recreates all three major phases of Stonehenge’s construction based on archaeological records, and the sun and moon simulations take into account atmospheric refraction, the gradually changing tilt of Earth’s axis, and the sun’s gravitational tug on the moon to ensure the utmost in accuracy. It’s going to rock!

Don’t forget to get there on time for a quick round of astronomy trivia and special prizes! We’ll also have some (earth-based) telescopes out front for you to check out if the weather cooperates.

There is always lots of time to ask questions and interact with the presenters and other scientists who inevitably stick around for the beer. We can’t wait to see you there!

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