Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Eclipse Cycles and Eclipses at Stonehenge

Nature volume 213, pages 476–478 (1967)Cite this article

Abstract

Was Stonehenge used to predict eclipses? Previous claims have assumed a high degree of sophistication on the part of the builders of Stonehenge, and that the number of Aubrey holes (56) is particularly significant. It may be that neither assumption is justified or necessary, and that if the builders of Stonehenge did predict eclipses, they did it in much simpler ways.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy article

Get time limited or full article access on ReadCube.

$32.00

Buy

All prices are NET prices.

References

  1. Stukeley, W., Stonehenge (1740).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Lockyer, N., and Penrose, F. C., Proc. Roy. Soc., 69, 137 (1901).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Newham, C. A., Yorkshire Post (March 16, 1963).

  4. Hawkins, G. S., Nature, 200, 306 (1963).

    ADS  Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Hawkins, G. S., Nature, 202, 1253 (1964).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hawkins, G. S., Amer. Scientist, 53, 391 (1965).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hawkins, G. S., and White, J. B., Stonehenge Decoded (Souvenir Press, London, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Atkinson, R. J. C., Nature, 210, 1302 (1966).

    ADS  Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Atkinson, R. J. C., Antiquity, 40, 212 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Discovery attributed to Meton (433 B.C.).

  11. Spencer Jones, H., General Astronomy (Edward Arnold, London, 1934).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Taton, R. ed., Ancient and Medieval Science (Thames and Hudson, London, 1957).

  13. Hoyle, F., Nature, 211, 454 (1966).

    ADS  Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Atkinson, R. J. C., Stonehenge (Hamish Hamilton, London, 1956).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, N.2, Victoria

    R. COLTON & R. L. MARTIN

Authors
  1. R. COLTON
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. L. MARTIN
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

COLTON, R., MARTIN, R. Eclipse Cycles and Eclipses at Stonehenge. Nature 213, 476–478 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/213476a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/213476a0

Further reading

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing