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A project exploring Stonehenge’s little-known relationship with the Moon has been nominated for a Museums + Heritage Award.

The Â鶹ÊÓƵ collaborated with English Heritage, Bournemouth University and the University of Oxford in 2024 when a rare celestial phenomenon known as a ‘major lunar standstill’ presented the opportunity to explore the connection with the Moon.

Like the Sun, the Moon follows a cycle with moonrises and moonsets that lasts around one month. The northernmost and southernmost limits of moonrise and moonset change over about 18.6 years.

A major lunar standstill marks the time when the northernmost and southernmost moonrise and moonset are furthest apart.

It is thought that at least one major standstill was marked during the early phase of Stonehenge, which may have influenced the monument’s design and purpose.

The collaboration has been nominated for Partnership of the Year at the Museums + Heritage Awards 2025.

Emeritus Professor of Archeoastronomy at the Â鶹ÊÓƵ, Clive Ruggles said: “My academic colleagues and I are hugely grateful for the enthusiastic cooperation and support we have received from both English Heritage and Royal Astronomical Society. We simply could not have undertaken this research otherwise. We are also delighted with the outreach activities that these partner organisations have organised to spread awareness and information about our project to the wider public.”

Head of the School of Archaeology and Ancient History at the Â鶹ÊÓƵ, Professor Ruth Young said: “Clive and team have undertaken very exciting, interdisciplinary work which really does reveal more about the thoughts and actions of the people who built and used Stonehenge some 4000 years ago.  This nomination recognises the power of this work and its impact on us today, and we are all very proud of Clive and the team.”  

The Museums + Heritage Awards will take place on Thursday, 15 May. .