Slashdot Mirror


Building A Modern Stonehenge In New Zealand

Flexagon writes "Wired News is reporting that a group of astronomy enthusiasts in New Zealand is building its own version of Stonehenge in a little more than a year. Why? "We came up with the idea of Stonehenge because it doesn't matter who you are -- everyone looks at the Pyramids and Stonehenge and structures like that (and asks) who built them, why did they build them?" says Richard Hall, president of the Phoenix Astronomical Society. Yet another reason to book a ticket!"

11 of 235 comments (clear)

  1. Re:New Zealand by mikis · · Score: 4, Informative

    As I understand TFA, this is an attempt to build a working astronomical calendar and explain people what was it used for (I'm shure many believe it was an alien airport, or whatever), and not to build just another Eiffel tower/Keops pyramid/Liberty statue clone.

    "The whole idea of the henge is that people can come out here and learn real basic astronomy, the real foundations of what astronomy is all about," says Richard Hall, the infectiously enthusiastic and indefatigable project manager and president of the Phoenix Astronomical Society, which is building the Kiwi henge.

  2. Already been done, by Sam Hill by zakezuke · · Score: 4, Informative

    Sam hill already built a Stonehenge replica near Goldendale, WA USA. It's near the Mary Hill museum of Art, noted for it's collection of relics from the last czars of Russia... some of the few that didn't burn when the revolution came.

    I believe it was built as a 1st World War memorial rather then to study astrometry.

    --
    There is no sanctuary. There is no sanctuary. SHUT UP! There is no shut up. There is no shut up.
  3. Re:New Zealand by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    New Zealand was primarily colonised (after the Maori) by the United Kingdom and is in fact still part of the commonwealth. A lot of New Zealand's heritage is from the United Kingdom because that's where the colonists were from. It's hardly disrespecting your country when a large percentage of the population is only a few generations removed from it. e.g. I'm a New Zealander but I still qualify for a British passport.

  4. Re:New Zealand by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Not as much as you'd think. The Polynesians only reached New Zealand in AD 1000 and even then were restricted to fairly simple societies (hunter gathering and basic farming) due to the incompatibility betweeen polynesian crops and the New Zealand climate.

  5. Re:What tells you that paganism is "native"? by perly-king-69 · · Score: 3, Informative
    No, paganism is quite clearly linked to northern climates

    Not really. Early Christians described those who worshipped the Roman (and by extension, Greek and Egyptian) gods as being pagan. It's just a word for those who are non-believers. Depends of course, who you believe in though!

    --

    --
    This sig is inoffensive.

  6. They're not the first by Inigo+Soto · · Score: 4, Informative

    Nebraskans already built a replica of Stonehenge

  7. Stonehenge in Texas by mknewman · · Score: 2, Informative

    There is a replica of Stonehenge and also two large Easter Island statues near Kerrville Texas, here is a web page: http://www.texastwisted.com/attr/stonehenge2/ Marc

  8. Aha! That's what they want you to *think* it's for by mwood · · Score: 4, Informative

    Actually they are scheming to reconfigure the Earth's axis of rotation for arcane purposes. Why else build it more or less exactly opposite England?

    The two circles are ectoplasmic bearings. When Stonehenge B is up and running, all of the ley lines will snap together through the line between them, the planet will be wrenched into a new and more mystical rotational mode, and astronomers will rule the world! (Hey, it's easier than building a dimensional redistributor -- the tubes are so hard to come by.) :-) for the humor-impaired.

  9. Been there, done that by wcspxyx · · Score: 2, Informative

    UMR did this many moons ago.

    --
    Sig? What sig? Do I have to have a sig!?!?
  10. Re:Inverting Stonhenge's astronomical relationship by MrAngryForNoReason · · Score: 2, Informative

    Is that a Terry Prachett reference? From Lords and Ladies?

    In Lords and Ladies the dancers (big rocks containing meteorite iron) were made into a henge to stop travel between the two universes. Not to form a gateway but as the door that seals it.

    The elves (the Lords and Ladies from the title) couldn't pass through the ring of stones because they couldn't stand the iron. The area the stones surrounded was a particularly 'thin' area where the two worlds were close enough together to allow things to pass from one to another.

    So maybe the parent did get the idea from 'Lords and Ladies', conciously or not. But if they did, they should go back and read it again and get the facts straight.

  11. Re:I am "forcing my beliefs on you"? by renoX · · Score: 2, Informative

    "laicity" is the separation of goverment from church.

    It is one of the pilar of modern French state: governement, schools are all 'religion-free', religious activities are considered are purely private issue.

    It is very strange for French people to see the US president using the bible during his nomination, or witness swearing on the bible during a trial..