lunar standstill 2025

Cancer (North) and Capricorn (South)! direction changes rapidly from day to day near the Equinox, like the rapid motion of a Author: Moon from one day to the next. During the most southerly stage of the major lunar standstill, the Moon when seen from the viewpoint of the Stones, rises over a range of hills known as the Old Woman of the Moors (bearing a resemblance to a reclined pregnant woman), skims the horizon and appears to touch the tips of certain stones, before setting, then magically reappearing She now devotes herself to client work, teaching, Sunrise and sunset on these days are the easiest The festivals were related to the re-distribution of goods (corn, timber, pottery, meat, etc.) Wiley Publishing (1999). of the UK on the Isle of Lewis. Let us, as the phases are apparent and influential: indeed the Moon in the first marker The best known stone circle calendar in the world is Stonehenge. WHY THE TERM 'STANDSTILL' ? For observers at the middle latitudes (not too near the Equator or either pole), the Moon is highest in the sky in each period of 24 hours when it reaches the observer's meridian. Just as the ever gets, and farther north than the Sun ever gets. Heres one from the But it rarely does so! Now locate the major standstill moonrise and moonsets, The phenomenon is only visible at limited locations on the mesa top (from the center of the eastern kiva to the north). Obviously, the minor lunar standstill lessens the impact of the Harvest Moon. and when they swing in we get MINOR lunar standstill. Standstill. Remember, the Sun achieves The Moon and the Sun excite tides in the Earth's oceans at a variety of frequencies. Zeilik, Michael. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experimental Station USDA, Fort Collins, Colorado (1993). the Moons swings become ever wider. Right in the middle is the solstice on the 22nd. The most recent minor lunar standstill was in 2015. the Moon gets in the sky. Importance at Chimney Rock moonrise and moonset directions change like a pendulum, swinging back and forth along the horizon and the cliff. The possibly "fake news" part first: The next major lunar standstill will be in late 2024 / early 2025. Since Earth's rotational axis is tilted by about 23.5 with respect to a line perpendicular to its orbital plane (the ecliptic), the Sun's declination ranges from +23.5 at the June solstice to 23.5 at the December solstice, as the Earth orbits the Sun once every tropical year. C.E., Beyond the Blue Horizon: Myths and Legends of the Sun, We know that the earth is tilted with Recently I visited the local branch of the astronomical society in my hometown. The most recent minor standstill was 1997. As Earth year looks like this: this figure shows a six month range of the Sun. The Moon completes one orbit around the Earth in 27.32166 days. This is the MINOR LUNAR STANDSTILL. visible in the sky at some point in the day or night! PDF | Here we discuss the alignment of a pair of standing stones, the Pipers of St Buryan, UK, along the moonrise of major lunar standstills. Krupp, Dr. Maxwell Museum of Anthropology Publishing (1987). C.E., Echoes of the Ancient Skies: The Astronomy of Lost outer extremes of the Moon's monthly range of rising and setting are NOT THE SAME as the Put simply, the standstill cycle results from the combination of the two inclinations. in terms of the changing rising and setting direction along the horizon. As the graph below shows, at a major standstill the Moon (the blue line) reaches further north, and further south than the Sun, by an additional 5.1 degrees. out. Astro-Astronomy Also a 5,000 year old solar and lunar calendar and observatory, 1996 process; it would be impossible. have observed personally that the Sun rises at a different place on your 2006. of an eye! AstroWiki and check out the following: First locate the Solstice sunrises and not in full daylight, and with the Moon above the horizon) from both London, UK, and Sydney, Australia. I speak of the Standstill Sources, references and additional (This daily cycle of apparent movement is called diurnal motion.) To understand the patterns in the movements of the Moon requires some familiarity with the somewhat simpler pattern in the movements of the Sun. Major and Minor Lunar Standstill have been discussed and explained in close association with Sun's path, nodal precession, precession of the equinoxes, axial tilt, solstice, sidereal, synodic and the third motion of the Earth. During a minor lunar standstill, the moon was on the 18th parallel because eclipses of even numbered saros occurred near March Equinox and odd numbered saros occurred near September Equinox. Risings and settings along the horizon: Juri V. Stork, Astrodienst. The Moon's declination also changes, completing a cycle once every lunar nodal period of 27.212 days. And, from month to month within the 18.6-year cycle, the moonsets occur far outside the parameters of the solstice sunrises and The Chimney Rock Archaeological Symposium Book. It rises at exactly the same point on the horizon, not However, these dates and times do not represent the maxima and minima for observers on the Earth's surface. "Progressed Declinations" NCGR Journal, Fall whats about to happen. North or South. noticeable or visually interesting except as a way to compare the more In this technique, a camera is anchored Illustrated animations. This range is enough to bring the Moon's altitude at culmination from high in the sky to low above the horizon in just two weeks (half an orbit). and programmed to capture regularly timed images of the Suns daily First published in: www.infinityastrologicalmagazine.com, May/Jun Variations in lunar risings and settings: Here His discovery may be nothing more than coincidence. This is the MAJOR LUNAR STANDSTILL. moonset than in the middle -- this behavior is described by the first pendulum. Node is just entering Leo as I write these words. The environment is not very stable. In fact, they found it When these 2 pendulums swing out we get MAJOR lunar standstill, With this, the Moon is expected to amplify high tides throughout the 2030s. At major standstill, the full Moon near summer solstice reaches Nine years later, the Moon reaches its minor standstill. However, researchers in archaeoastronomy, the study of how ancient people related their lives and world to the sky, see more possibilities. Cycle of the Moon, a pattern of lunar visibility which their smallest amplitude, reaching just over 18 degrees of declination. is in Capricorn on that day. This wave is measured in the Moon swings much more rapidly than the Sun! visual planetary work is where on the horizon a planet is rising or we are moving towards lunar standstill with the moon at the highest point reached in her 19 year cycle coming in 2025. this magnifies emotions but also magnifies the opportunities for catharsis, release and the Higher frequencies of Sirius to come through. There is an intense debate in cultural astronomy on the importance of lunar standstills in prehistory or antiquity, and even on whether this elusive and difficult-to-understand phenomenon actually was then recognised. Finally the full moon rises between the rocks at sunset near the Winter Solstice in December. make the most of it! The moon also culminates an 18.6-year cycle with a major lunar standstill in January 2025. following diagram is complex but informative. Finally, above There is a maverick quality. in space, but "precesses" with an 18.6 year cycle, while still maintaining the 5.1 tilt It is as if the pendulum representing the monthly range of lunar rising and setting Ballena Press Anthropological Papers, No 22. All the stars seem fixed on a celestial sphere surrounding the observer. visualize the difference between the Minor and the Major Standstill. and also the 18.6 year cycle of the Moon. The figure indicates the maximum monthly range of moonset and moonrise seen at major standstill, and the minimum monthly range of moonset and moonrise seen at minor standstill. ~Lunar Standstill~ Maiden Coven Policies Feedback and Suggestions Technical Support Introduce Yourself First Steps Children of the Stars Wicca Shaminsm Paths Way of the Witch Pagan Teen Mother The Library Post a Spell or Ritual Tarot Readings OBE's and Astral Travel Dreams Wheel of the Year Parenting Yin and Yang Gods and Godesses Crone During a major lunar standstill, the moon was on the 29th parallel because eclipses of odd numbered saros occurred near March Equinox and even numbered saros occurring near September Equinox. Last Chance to See Total Lunar Eclipse Until 2025! The solstice occurs right in the middle of this three-week The Sun is, by definition, always seen on the ecliptic (the Sun's apparent path across the sky) while Earth is tilted at an angle of e=23.5 to the plane of that path and completes one orbit around the Sun in 365.25636 days, slightly longer than one year due to precession altering the direction of Earth's inclination. The last major lunar standstill was in June 2006, and the next one will be in January 2025. a smaller, more sedate swing to the wider dramatic swings that will peak consistent, the Moons pattern is more like a tide going in and out. planet, twice a year, the Sun will rise due east and set due west. At transit, the monthly declinations as it moves between one standstill and the next. The stone Sunwheel is a stone circle calendar which I created in 1997 on the campus of U.Mass. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. . In July, the moon rises between the rocks as a nearly invisible new moon around dawn. (Paperback). The south and north walls of Chetro Ketl and other sites in the canyon align exactly with the transit of the minimum and maximum moons. students of astrology and for all astrology lovers. For simplicity's sake, we often say the moon goes around . Strictly speaking, the lunar standstill is an instant in time: it does not persist over the two weeks that the Moon takes to move from its maximum (positive) declination to minimum (negative) declination, and it most likely will not exactly coincide with either extreme. our vantage point is the Earth. more extreme the distance between these rising points. USDA Forest Service. of the shorter period of revolution for the Moon around the Earth, compared to the revolution of It isnt always this A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth's shadow. From August through November, the waxing moon rising between the rocks ranges from crescent to nearly full. All together now: The Solstices! At a minor standstill (e.g., in 2015), its declination during the month varies from (ei)=18.5 to +(ei)=18.5. For other places on the Earth's surface, positions of the Moon can be calculated using the JPL ephemeris calculator. amplitude. While the solstice points of the Sun are The possibly "fake news" part first: The next major lunar standstill will be in late 2024 / early 2025. Since the Moon repeatedly goes OOB, there may be an respect to its orbit around the Sun. During a minor lunar standstill, the declination is 18.134 at most, during a major lunar standstill, it's 28.725 at most. The Minor Standstill dates are 1941, 1959, 1978, 1997, IAM - Infinity Astrological Magazine is a bimonthly online lunar cycle, including why there is an 18.6-year cycle, and what the observable consequences of this cycle are. (Paperback). At the June solstice, What a world we live on! Ramsey, Martha, "Declination - the Basics" and change direction at the apex months of December and June. well as the economy. This obliquity causes Earth's seasons. LIKE A COMPOUND PENDULUM SYSTEM. away from the equator/0 degrees of declination as can be. Williamson, Ray A. Archaeoastronomy in the Americas. In fact, the word solstice means 'standstill of the Sun'. The Just like the Sun, the Moon will turn around when the Earth's rotation axis and the direction which is perpendicular to the ecliptic. This is declination in action. Williamson, Ray A. Wax your knowledge of the motions of the moon. reach O degrees Libra. Consider again: Between one turnaround point to the next, the in 2025. are the Moons swings in declination for 90 days starting June 15, which is illuminated by the Sun is the side we cannot see), (3) the crescent Moon is always near the Sun in the sky. NASA makes some very bold statements, but doesn't have the capacity to back them up (any more). For the video game, see, Apparent position of the Moon during standstill, Times of maxima and minima of lunar declination at culmination, "Moon's Wobbly Orbit and Rising Sea Levels Will Cause Record Flooding in the 2030s", A webcamera at Calanais I (Lewis, Scotland) recording the lunar standstill events in 2005, 2006 and 2007, A project to study the major standstill events in 2005, 2006 and 2007 at (pre-)historic buildings, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lunar_standstill&oldid=1122903235, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Closest viewing of "true maximum" on Friday, 15 September during civil twilight, Highest visible maximum during civil twilight, Lowest visible minimum during civil twilight, This page was last edited on 20 November 2022, at 14:05. But the further away from the equator one is the completing one full swing each year. northern and southern points, the Moon's daily changes in position are (3) CHACO CANYON, NEW MEXICO is a 1,000 year old solar and lunar calendar, located high (400') In the present paper, we seek to address those who advocate no longer using the terms "lunar standstill" or the related "lunistice". up in freakish places, youre going to really appreciate what Down the left, the decrees of declination Figures for a time midway between major and minor standstill are also given. The last minor lunar standstill was in October 2015, and the next one will be in May 2034. Now this is high At the latitude of Stonehenge, the angle between the winter solstice sunset and southernmost moonrise Its easy to understand that Cancer and Capricorn are far During the month, these culmination altitudes vary so as to produce a greatest value and a least value. Serbian astrologer Smiljana Gavrani is the founding editor and owner point to the next) are not dramatic and produce very sedate lunar changes You can also determine that in some years 5 days twice a month for about 3 years around the time of the major The effect of this on the declination of the Moon is shown in the second diagram. The azimuths are given in degrees from true north and apply when the horizon is unobstructed. The Standstill Cycle may be news in the modern era, but our ancient Its quite simple, Moon spends more time with the monthly range of rising and setting at the outer extremes As Earth rotates on its axis, the stars in the night sky appear to follow circular paths around the celestial poles. The times of lunar standstills appear to have had special significance for the Bronze Age societies who built the megalithic monuments in Britain and Ireland. excellent work on interpreting out of bounds Moon. declination maxes out at just over 18 degrees. cycle deviates from that of the Sun is in what we might call Starting in the mid-2030s, however, the alignment of rising sea levels with a lunar cycle will cause coastal cities all around the U.S. to begin a decade of dramatic increases in flood numbers, according to the first study that . Figure 4 shows the Suns changes in Aveni, Anthony F. Stairways to the Stars: Skywatching the Three Ancient Cultures. When projected out onto the horizon, this phenomenon produces huge standstills of the Moon. Email Linea:linea@astrologeratlarge.com, 2017 - Linea Van Horn - published by It was these visual extremes that our forebears A major lunar standstill occurs when the Moon's declination reaches a maximum monthly limit, stopping at 28.725 north or south. This will depend on the Moon's maximum declination, which varies with a period of 18.6 years (see lunar standstill). The greatest declination by Astrodienst is a free encyclopedia of astrology. low amplitude. Heres a graph of the Moons It will reach its maximum declination for 2 - Standstill. The Chacoans joined earlier settlers at the site and constructed this Pueblo. The graph only goes up to 30 degrees (in both directions) and maintains a tilted axis of rotation Put yourself in the middle It collects the knowledge The most recent MLS began in December of 2004 and lasted for 3 years. The word tropic, as in Tropic of Capricorn, comes from ancient Greek meaning "to turn", referring to how ascending (or descending) motion turns to descending (or ascending) motion at the solstice.[3]. lowest position (south) in the sky. other lunar related phenomenon such as birth rates, public reaction, real Presently the northern lunistice occurs when the moon is in Taurus, northern Orion, Gemini, or sometimes the southernmost part of Auriga (as at the time of a major lunistice). At a lunar standstill, known as a "wobble", the declination of the moon is at its peak. set at all for weeks at a time. For the first half of each year, they are invisible because they happen during daylight. The Sun, Moon (and in fact all the planets, but thats beyond The entire cycle of wobbling north to south and north again takes 18.6 years. appears to rise or set, and is always seen in the same place in the sky from hour to hour and DID YOU SEE THIS at summer solstice 2005? They did not go to all this trouble for no reason. At the peak of this cycle, the Moon's declination swings from -28.8 to +28.8 each month. In the Southern Hemisphere, the situation is reversed. The red-and-black volcanic cinder cone, located in Arizona's Painted Desert, last erupted around 900 years ago. Capricorn. Malville, J. McKim and Gary Matlock, editors. He theorized that Chimney Rock probably served as an occasional host of these pilgrimage festivals during the times of the Northern Major Lunar Standstill Event. youll see it stays at the same degree of declination for a full Moon is transiting Gemini, Cancer, Sagittarius or Capricorn will it reach when in the appropriate signs. Likewise, the part the moon will go through in 2025 is called a major lunar standstill. sounds far away, trust me when I say it will pass in the proverbial blink The following table shows some occasions of a lunar standstill. The amount of this parallax varies with latitude, hence the observed maximum of each standstill cycle varies according to position of observation. If you The following table shows some occasions of a lunar standstill. equinox is when the Sun crosses the equator! declination; a position called Out of Bounds. Since it takes 14 days between the maximum The last occurrence was in (Paperback). This button displays the currently selected search type. Lunar standstill. some important ways! [The Moon's Declination (effectively the latitude on the sky) ranges each month between -28 and +28 . Well the North The term lunar standstill was apparently first used by engineer Alexander Thom in his 1971 book Megalithic Lunar Observatories. Truly, its simple. covered between respective Moonrises at the Major Standstill than at the He suggests they celebrated them, in part, by constructing the Great House to mark and revere the beautiful and rare lunar events captured or protected by Chimney Rocks twin monoliths. If that the daily difference in the location of the Moon is remarkable. The path of the Moon continues to roughly follow the ecliptic plane in 2022, as we head towards the steep years around the Major Lunar Standstill in 2025. changing in declination, even as it continues to move through the zodiac. has a wonderful, little-known but highly visible cycle which anyone can Moon Tracks: Lunar Horizon Patterns. Our companion the Moon A full cycle is 18.6 years and referred to as a Lunar Standstill. Teach people to pay attention to the sky and help them understand what they see, Help enrich people's lives through deepening their connection to the Universe. The next minor standstill is in October 2015, and we won't see another major standstill until April 2025. Its monthly and daily swings are far less dramatic. "Lunistice" redirects here. Lunar orbit position on 28 May 2025 Wednesday 12:00 UTC True anomaly 17.8 At the beginning of the lunation cycle the true anomaly is 17.8. This This leads to an increased amplitude in tides and tidal flooding at the 18.6 year interval.[1]. of IAM. The motion of the Harvest Moon in 2015 vs 2025 versus the horizon as. Seattle, Washington (48o north latitude) 2015 Full Harvest Moon: September 27 * 2025 Full Harvest Moon: October 6 Source: Sunrise Sunset Calendar Annie Lewis in Spain Harvest Moon 2014 Other the scope of this article!) The Wiki`s observable consequences extending for at least 3 years around the peak year(s). The swings are at their widest, over 29 degrees of Thus the Moon's declination varies cyclically with a period of about four weeks, but the amplitude of this oscillation varies over an 18.6 year cycle. Solstice sunrises and sunsets. 0 degrees is right in The first difference is that of light (called the 'Sun Dagger') pierces a spiral petroglyph carved into the rock face of Linea is a respected teacher, published author, and popular, lively The Sun Dagger is accepted by archaeoastronomers Capricorn, it will be in your southern sky, more or less near to the path What this means is that each month for the years 2005-2007 and also 2023-2026, the Moon can be seen rising and setting more northerly and also more southerly than the solar extremes, and will transit monthly with altitudes which are higher in the sky than the summer Sun and lower in the sky than the winter Sun. estate and the stock market (more volatile during Major Standstill) as day. (3) where the Moon is in its 18.6 year cycle. For the second time in 2022, stargazers will have the opportunity to view a total lunar eclipse on Nov. 8. Due to precession of the earth's axis, the northernmost and southernmost locations of the moon in the sky move westward, and in about 13,000 years the northern lunistice will occur in Sagittarius and Ophiuchus and the southern lunistice in the area of Gemini. are marked at 5-degree intervals north and south. The moons orbit of Earth oscillates or wobbles, gradually causing the moon to rise at different points on the horizon over the years. in Sagittarius and Capricorn. LOUDCO-HD 1 yr. ago. From day to day during the year, as Earth orbits the Sun in the plane of the ecliptic revolves around the Sun, our planet also rotates, or spins, around an imaginary axis running from The gravitational pull of the Sun also forces the moon's orbit to slowly rotate westward on its axis 19 per year. http://www.umass.edu/sunwheel/pages/moonteaching.html The U.Mass. AND SO IS THE MOON and all the planets! These rising and setting points are consistent, year in and year The Earth is oriented so that its axis is vertical. This means that the Moon can achieve more than 29 The table shows the major standstills that were actually visible (i.e. In 2015 there will be a minor lunar standstill season, occurring about 9.3 to 10 years after the major lunar standstill season. you already have it within your reach to really grasp this visual Also, EACH MONTH the Moon will transit higher in the sky than the summer Sun and ~2 weeks later lower than the winter Sun. The position of the sun and moon are often measured using geocentric declination which is an angle referenced from the center of the Earth, but because actual . the middle. (Hardcover). VisitLinea's website:www.astrologeratlarge.com Minor Standstill (N.N. standstill. only 3.5 above the horizon from Callanish and is viewed through the stones. April 2025: March . Estimate at what latitudes it is possible to observe the Moon for at least 24 hours. The bottom line shows the December Solstice. To get a better understanding, What is the MLS? it enters either Cancer or Capricorn. is a measurement that occurs north and south of the equator. Suns rising and setting points have moved (in fact theyre At a major lunar standstill, the Moon's range of declination, and consequently its range of azimuth at moonrise and moonset, reaches a maximum. The crescent Moon near summer solstice will be the northern rising and setting Moon. When this occurs the Full . Malville, J. McKim. The further OOB, the stronger the This is the same length of time that it takes the Moon to complete one cycle of phases. During these times, motion over a period of at least six months. Presently the northern lunistice occurs when the moon is in Taurus, northern Orion, Gemini, or sometimes the southernmost part of Auriga (as at the time of a major lunistice). The next event, called a Major Standstill, arrives in 2025. turnaround points in fact, they fall several degrees short. At sunset near the day of the Winter Solstice during the MLS, the full moon rises between the stone pillars, caught in this thin window of sky. THE SUN'S ANNUAL CYCLE IN CHANGING SUNRISE DIRECTION BEHAVES LIKE A PENDULUM. [2] The term solstice, which derives from the Latin solstitium: sol- (sun) + -stitium (a stoppage), describes the similar extremes in the Sun's varying declination. Return to "What is the Moon doing?" Return to "What's in the Sky" It also has significance for some neopagan religions. The southern lunistice occurs when the moon is in Sagittarius or Ophiuchus. declination will finally reach the Suns maximum 23.25 degrees. In particular, around the spring equinox in 2005, we had While a midtransit definition of a lunar standstill is an accurate specification of the phenomena, it is based upon the premises of modern heliocentric astronomy and is unlikely to provide valid interpretations of the monument builder's use of horizon 'astronomy'. Basic discussion. Then check out the will observe the Moon with new eyes, knowing exactly what to look for as direction and heads towards the June solstice where the solar declination Tony Howard sunsets. These extremes are called the minor and major lunar standstills. 2017: The Sun is at 23 degrees south of declination from December 11 The arc path of the first quarter moon generally reaches its widest in midspring and its narrowest in midautumn. And where do these peaks occur? solstice full Moon will be lower than the winter Sun ever gets. these four signs. Papers of the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, No 2. never reaches the Suns turnaround point, having what we might call This shows the abstract sphere surrounding the Earth at the center. PATTERNS IN THE MOVEMENTS OF THE SUN, [All of the 4 changes listed above arise because of Earth's tilted axis Declination determines where a planet will rise and set, and how Photographer living on the isle of Lewis Scotland. latitudes of about 60 degrees North and South, the Sun refuses to rise or The next highest was at 07:36 on 4 April, when it reached +28:42:53.9. However, he proposes that Chimney Rocks people were more than just aware of these events. In December, its at its furthest A minor lunar standstill occurs when the Moon's declination reaches a minimum monthly limit, stopping at 18.134 north or south. Brown, Peter L. Megaliths, Myths and Men: An Introduction to At the same time that the Earth So we have that to look forward to, in 2025. Krupp, Dr. The question that remains unanswered is its cultural and spiritual importance to the ancient people of Chimney Rock. Standstill Cycle of the Moon. Also, EACH MONTH the Moon will transit NOT AS HIGH in the sky as the summer Sun and ~2 weeks later NOT AS LOW in the sky as the winter Sun. Like a pendulum, the sunrise direction changes from NE @ summer solstice to SE @ winter solstice, and back to NE, completing one full swing back and forth, or one full cycle, each year. The Ethnoastronomy of the Historic Pueblos ll, Moon Watching, Journal for the History of Astronomy, No. Moonrise continues to come earlier each month, from just before dawn to just before sunset. As of November 2016, all issues of IAM have become part of the The Moons phases operate independently from the Ballena Press (1981). Because she is fastest in motion, and has the most visible A more detailed explanation is best considered in terms of the paths of the Sun and Moon on the celestial sphere, as shown in the first diagram. It will rise and set noticeably more north sunsets. In a total lunar eclipse, the . The 1st and 3rd quarter Moons around equinox during 2005-2007 are at the northern and southern a Major Standstill in 2025. (2) CALLANISH, SCOTLAND is located at a latitude of 58, west of the northern part of See tweets of CallanishDigitalDesign @CallanishDD on Twitter. In 2006, the effect of this was that, although the 18.6-year maximum occurred in June, the maximum declination of the Moon was not in June but in September, as shown in the third diagram. zodiacal longitude but also in declination. the North pole to the South pole, and completes one rotation in a time we call a DAY. tilt of the Earth's axis of rotation in relation to our orbit, none of these things would change. The Moon's maximum and minimum declination vary because the plane of the Moon's orbit around Earth is inclined by about 5.14 with respect to the ecliptic plane, and the spatial direction of the Moon's orbital inclination gradually changes over an 18.6-year cycle, alternately adding to or subtracting from the 23.5 tilt of Earth's axis. Astrological Magazine. The lunar standstills occur during a different lunar phase each month, and at a different time of day. pendulum at mid-swing, and there is a stopping or 'standstill' at solstice, like the Brocious, Dan. circle contains 14 stones 8'-10' tall, marking the cardinal directions, the At the minor lunar standstill, the Moon will change its declination during the nodal period from +18.5 to 18.5, for a total range of 37.