Satellite Photo of Stonehenge
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About Stonehenge
Possibly the world's most recognized ancient observatory, Stonehenge's ring of stones was built more than 5000 years ago on a wind-swept hill near Salisbury, United Kingdom. Recent theories support construction in about 2000 BC by a late Neolithic people known as the Beakers. Their addition to the project included adding a double ring of stones inside the original earthen henge. More than 80 "bluestones," some weighing up to four tons, were transported several hundred miles from quarries in Wales. Controversy surrounds some of the possible stellar alignments at Stonehenge, but on the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, the rising sun does appear behind the "Heel Stone." As the sun rises, the shadow cast by the Heel Stone creeps up the length of rock and into the heart of the five interior "sarsen" pillar stones.
In 1986, Stonehenge was added to UNESCO's growing list of World Heritage Sites along with the Avebury henge site, which sits about 20 miles to the north.
About the Stonehenge Satellite Image
GeoEye's IKONOS satellite took this image of Stonehenge March 27, 2002. Photo credit: GeoEye
- Date Acquired:27-MAR-2002
- Upper Left Latitude: 51.2239
- Upper Left Longitude:-1.8949
- Upper Right Latitude: 51.2348
- Upper Right Longitude: -1.7071
- Lower Right Latitude: 51.109
- Lower Right Longitude: -1.709
- Lower Left Latitude: 51.1002
- Lower Left Longitude: -1.8935
- Overall Cloud Score: 0
- Cloud Score - Upper Left: 0
- Cloud Score - Upper Right: 0
- Cloud Score - Lower Left:0
- Cloud Score - Lower Right: 0
- Satellite Tilt Angle: 65.9208
- Sun Azimuth: 166.5139
- Sun Elevation: 40.911
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