The Pyramid of Meidum, 100 km south of Cairo, tells the story of Egypt's transition from step pyramids to true pyramids in its own ruined silhouette. Originally built as a seven-step pyramid (probably for Huni, last king of the 3rd Dynasty), it was later expanded to eight steps and then converted into a true pyramid by filling the steps and adding a smooth limestone casing — likely under Sneferu. The outer casing and fill collapsed catastrophically in antiquity, leaving the distinctive tower-like core visible today rising 65 meters from a mountain of debris. At Giza bearing 358.09° and 65.8 km from the Pyramid Plateau, Meidum's Mastaba 17 nearby yielded the famous "Meidum Geese" painting — one of the earliest and finest examples of Egyptian naturalistic art. The pyramid's structural failure taught Egyptian engineers critical lessons about angle and foundation that Sneferu applied at his next project: the Bent Pyramid at Dahshur.
| Star ▴ | Rise Az ▴ | Rise Δ ▴ | Set Az ▴ | Set Δ ▴ | Tradition ▴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleiades (Alcyone) | 86.8° | — | 273.2° | — | |
| Orion's Belt (Alnilam) | 106.8° | — | 253.3° | — | |
| Sirius | 114.0° | — | 246.0° | — | |
| Thuban | — | — | — | — | |
| Vega | 38.9° | — | 321.1° | — | |
| Regulus | 62.2° | — | 297.8° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 92.2° | — | 267.8° | — | |
| Antares | 98.1° | — | 261.9° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 143.2° | — | 216.8° | — | |
| Arcturus | 35.3° | — | 324.7° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 106.9° | — | 253.1° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 73.2° | — | 286.8° | — | |
| Deneb | 47.0° | — | 313.0° | — | |
| Capella | 56.2° | — | 303.8° | — | |
| Castor | 58.5° | — | 301.5° | — | |
| Pollux | 61.3° | — | 298.7° | — | |
| Procyon | 84.7° | — | 275.3° | — | |
| Betelgeuse | 95.6° | — | 264.4° | — | |
| Rigel | 116.6° | — | 243.4° | — | |
| Bellatrix | 99.5° | — | 260.4° | — | |
| Achernar | — | — | — | — | |
| Acrux | 137.9° | — | 222.1° | — | |
| Mimosa | 133.0° | — | 227.0° | — | |
| Altair | 80.2° | — | 279.8° | — | |
| Kochab | — | — | — | — | |
| Dubhe | — | — | — | — | |
| Alkaid | — | — | — | — | |
| Mizar | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamal | 90.2° | — | 269.8° | — | |
| Zubenelgenubi | 81.7° | — | 278.3° | — | |
| Alnitak | 107.1° | — | 252.9° | — | |
| Mintaka | 106.2° | — | 253.8° | — | |
| Saiph | 114.8° | — | 245.2° | — | |
| Peacock | 155.4° | — | 204.6° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | 158.7° | — | 201.3° | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 135.6° | — | 224.4° | — | |
| Hadar | 133.1° | — | 226.9° | — | |
| Gacrux | 129.9° | — | 230.1° | — | |
| Naos | 131.6° | — | 228.4° | — | |
| Suhail | 128.2° | — | 231.8° | — | |
| Avior | 151.4° | — | 208.6° | — | |
| Atria | 149.2° | — | 210.8° | — | |
| Regor | 138.9° | — | 221.1° | — | |
| Alsephina | 143.2° | — | 216.8° | — | |
| Shaula | 114.7° | — | 245.3° | — | |
| Ankaa | — | — | — | — | |
| Menkent | 103.7° | — | 256.3° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 81.1° | — | 278.9° | — | |
| Eltanin | 15.0° | — | 345.0° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 43.8° | — | 316.2° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 60.3° | — | 299.7° | — | |
| Denebola | 49.5° | — | 310.6° | — | |
| Alhena | 81.5° | — | 278.5° | — | |
| Alphard | 88.9° | — | 271.1° | — | |
| Bharani | 93.3° | — | 266.7° | — | |
| Pushya | 64.9° | — | 295.1° | — | |
| Adhara | 127.6° | — | 232.4° | — | |
| Wezen | 123.6° | — | 236.4° | — | |
| Navi | 45.8° | — | 314.2° | — | |
| Schedar | 50.6° | — | 309.4° | — | |
| Nunki | 110.8° | — | 249.3° | — | |
| Canopus | 161.1° | — | 198.9° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 116.2° | — | 243.8° | — | |
| Sabik | 89.5° | — | 270.5° | — | |
| Scheat | 78.8° | — | 281.2° | — | |
| Enif | 91.5° | — | 268.5° | — | |
| Diphda | 138.0° | — | 222.0° | — | |
| Alphecca | 31.7° | — | 328.3° | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 56.5° | — | 303.5° | — | |
| Spica | 75.6° | — | 284.4° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 75.0° | — | 285.0° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 58.1° | — | 301.9° | — | |
| Murzim | 119.9° | — | 240.1° | — | |
| Phact | 143.5° | — | 216.5° | — | |
| Mirfak | 58.3° | — | 301.7° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 50.0° | — | 309.9° | — | |
| Markab | 92.9° | — | 267.1° | — | |
| Algol | 69.2° | — | 290.8° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 104.7° | — | 255.3° | — | |
| Sadalsuud | 106.7° | — | 253.3° | — | |
| Sun (Summer Solstice) | 62.8° | — | 297.2° | — | |
| Sun (Winter Solstice) | 117.2° | — | 242.8° | — | |
| Sun (Equinox) | 90.0° | — | 270.0° | — | |
| Sun (Northern Cross-Quarter) | 71.0° | — | 289.0° | — | |
| Sun (Southern Cross-Quarter) | 109.0° | — | 251.0° | — | |
| Moon (N Major Standstill) | 56.5° | — | 303.5° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 123.5° | — | 236.5° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 68.4° | — | 291.6° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 111.6° | — | 248.4° | — |
| Landmark | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| giza | 358.09° | 66 km |
| angkor wat | 86.29° | 7,622 km |
| nazca | 264.49° | 12,349 km |
| teotihuacan | 309.31° | 12,367 km |
| stonehenge | 320.96° | 3,648 km |
| gobekli tepe | 37.56° | 1,130 km |
| machu picchu | 264.85° | 12,034 km |
| easter island | 263.95° | 16,157 km |
| cahokia | 318.04° | 10,302 km |
| sedona | 328.88° | 11,880 km |
| mecca | 133.54° | 1,241 km |
| jerusalem | 54.71° | 470 km |
| vatican | 314.68° | 2,181 km |
| lhasa | 73.86° | 5,732 km |
| kailash | 74.67° | 4,781 km |
| uluru | 108.44° | 12,253 km |
| tiwanaku | 259.92° | 11,832 km |
| chaco canyon | 326.94° | 11,576 km |
| mt shasta | 339.66° | 11,694 km |
| levis stadium | 337.73° | 12,078 km |