Legend lingers for circle of sacred stones

Near the village of Penrith in Cumbria stands Long Meg and her Daughters, the third largest stone circle in England. It is actually an ellipse measuring 300 feet by 360 feet, originally having about 70 stones, of which 27 remain standing.

The ring represents the daughters while Long Meg is a 12-foot-high red sandstone located about 240 feet away. It was built during the Bronze Age with its age estimated from 1500 BC to 2000 BC. A line of sight from the center of the circle to Long Meg marks the point of the midwinter sunset. Carvings on Long Meg illustrated the path of the Sun during the year. Local legend has it that Long Meg and her daughters were witches who were caught dancing on the Sabbath by an unnamed saint during the 13th century and turned to stone. It is said a horrible fate awaits anyone who disturbed the stones, which may account for its relatively unscathed condition over the centuries. Nearby is a smaller circle and cairn, called Little Meg, which lines up with the May Day sunrise.

Focus on the planets

Planet watchers are in for a special treat on the evening of June 24 as Mercury, Venus and Saturn form an extremely tight grouping in the northwest about 45 minutes after sunset.

Mercury, appearing low in the northwest about June 13, climbs to a rendezvous with Venus where the innermost planet remains until month’s end.

Venus may be found on the western horizon an hour after sunset. Saturn is to the upper left and Castor and Pollux, the twins of Gemini, almost directly above Venus.

Mars is high in the east at dawn as June opens. Mars will gain in size and brightness as the month progresses and is the most dominant object in this part of the sky but for the moon by month’s end. Watch as the crescent moon passes by Mars on the final three mornings of June.

Jupiter is high in the south-southwest at nightfall and remains in view until well after midnight. Jupiter’s prominent surface features and its four major moons will all be on display again this month.

Saturn opens June high in the west to the left of the twins Castor and Pollux. The ringed planet sets about two hours after sunset and is preceded a half-hour earlier by Venus.

Neptune is a tiny blue-gray disk in the constellation of Capricorn while the blue-green disk of Uranus lies to the east in Aquarius. This month’s issue of Sky & Telescope offers finder’s charts for both of these far distant planets.

Pluto In June, Pluto lies in the opposite direction from the Sun as it is viewed from Earth. This makes the planet a bit more conspicuous than usual but it still requires a large telescope, finder’s chart, and skill to have chance of spotting it.

June events

1 Sunrise, 4:53 a.m.; sunset, 8:14 p.m.

6 New moon, 5:57 p.m.

7 The thin crescent moon is to the lower right of Venus at sunset. You might be able to spot Mercury just starting to peek over the northwestern horizon.

11 Moon at apogee, or farthest distance from the Earth, today.

12 Bright Regulus shines below the moon tonight.

15 Moon in first quarter, 9:24 p.m. Looking toward the northwest about a half-hour after sunset reveals Mercury, Venus and Saturn in an ascending line toward the left.

20 Mars crosses the equator into the northern hemisphere meaning that it will rapidly become larger and brighter for northern viewers.

21 Summer solstice, 2:58 a.m. The Sun has now reached its northernmost point above the celestial equator and starts its journey south giving us the longest days and shortest nights of the year. The Sun is in the astrological sign of Cancer at the solstice but, in actuality, will enter Gemini around 9 a.m.

22 Full moon, 12:15 a.m. The full moon of June is called the Hay Moon, Rose Moon, Strawberry Moon or Honey Moon.

23 St. John’s eve when midsummer was celebrated in ancient times with great bonfires across England. The moon is at perigee, or closest approach to the Earth, today.

24 Don’t miss the spectacular grouping of Saturn, Venus and Mercury on the northwest horizon shortly after sunset.

28 Bright orange Mars shines to the lower left of the moon before dawn.

30 Sunrise, 4:52 a.m.; sunset, 8:25 p.m.

Clair Wood taught physics and chemistry for more than a decade at Eastern Maine Technical College in Bangor.