The Unfinished Northern Pyramid at Zawyet el-Aryan is one of Egyptian archaeology's great enigmas. Only a massive T-shaped foundation trench cut deep into bedrock and a descending passage lined with enormous granite blocks were completed before construction ceased. The scale of the foundation suggests a pyramid comparable to the Great Pyramid of Giza — had it been finished, it would have been one of the largest structures in Egypt. A huge oval granite sarcophagus lid was found in the passage, polished but never inscribed. Attribution is debated: some assign it to Nebka of the 3rd Dynasty, others to the obscure 4th Dynasty pharaoh Baka. At Giza bearing 338.96° and 4.7 km from the Great Pyramid, the site has been within a military restricted zone since the 1960s, preventing thorough modern excavation. What compelled the builders to attempt such an enormous project — and what stopped them — remains unanswered.
Wikipedia| Star ▴ | Rise Az ▴ | Rise Δ ▴ | Set Az ▴ | Set Δ ▴ | Tradition ▴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleiades (Alcyone) | 86.8° | — | 273.2° | — | |
| Orion's Belt (Alnilam) | 106.8° | — | 253.2° | — | |
| Sirius | 114.1° | — | 245.9° | — | |
| Thuban | — | — | — | — | |
| Vega | 38.5° | — | 321.5° | — | |
| Regulus | 62.0° | — | 298.0° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 92.2° | — | 267.8° | — | |
| Antares | 98.2° | — | 261.9° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 143.6° | — | 216.4° | — | |
| Arcturus | 34.9° | — | 325.1° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 107.0° | — | 253.0° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 73.1° | — | 286.9° | — | |
| Deneb | 46.7° | — | 313.3° | — | |
| Capella | 56.0° | — | 304.0° | — | |
| Castor | 58.3° | — | 301.7° | — | |
| Pollux | 61.1° | — | 298.9° | — | |
| Procyon | 84.7° | — | 275.3° | — | |
| Betelgeuse | 95.6° | — | 264.4° | — | |
| Rigel | 116.7° | — | 243.3° | — | |
| Bellatrix | 99.6° | — | 260.4° | — | |
| Achernar | — | — | — | — | |
| Acrux | 138.3° | — | 221.7° | — | |
| Mimosa | 133.3° | — | 226.7° | — | |
| Altair | 80.2° | — | 279.8° | — | |
| Kochab | — | — | — | — | |
| Dubhe | — | — | — | — | |
| Alkaid | — | — | — | — | |
| Mizar | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamal | 90.2° | — | 269.8° | — | |
| Zubenelgenubi | 81.7° | — | 278.3° | — | |
| Alnitak | 107.2° | — | 252.8° | — | |
| Mintaka | 106.3° | — | 253.7° | — | |
| Saiph | 115.0° | — | 245.1° | — | |
| Peacock | 156.1° | — | 203.9° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | 159.5° | — | 200.5° | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 135.9° | — | 224.1° | — | |
| Hadar | 133.4° | — | 226.6° | — | |
| Gacrux | 130.2° | — | 229.8° | — | |
| Naos | 131.9° | — | 228.1° | — | |
| Suhail | 128.4° | — | 231.6° | — | |
| Avior | 152.0° | — | 208.0° | — | |
| Atria | 149.7° | — | 210.3° | — | |
| Regor | 139.3° | — | 220.7° | — | |
| Alsephina | 143.6° | — | 216.4° | — | |
| Shaula | 114.8° | — | 245.2° | — | |
| Ankaa | — | — | — | — | |
| Menkent | 103.8° | — | 256.2° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 81.1° | — | 278.9° | — | |
| Eltanin | 13.8° | — | 346.2° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 43.5° | — | 316.5° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 60.1° | — | 299.9° | — | |
| Denebola | 49.2° | — | 310.8° | — | |
| Alhena | 81.4° | — | 278.6° | — | |
| Alphard | 88.9° | — | 271.1° | — | |
| Bharani | 93.3° | — | 266.6° | — | |
| Pushya | 64.8° | — | 295.2° | — | |
| Adhara | 127.8° | — | 232.2° | — | |
| Wezen | 123.8° | — | 236.2° | — | |
| Navi | 45.5° | — | 314.5° | — | |
| Schedar | 50.3° | — | 309.7° | — | |
| Nunki | 110.9° | — | 249.1° | — | |
| Canopus | 162.0° | — | 198.0° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 116.3° | — | 243.7° | — | |
| Sabik | 89.5° | — | 270.5° | — | |
| Scheat | 78.8° | — | 281.3° | — | |
| Enif | 91.5° | — | 268.5° | — | |
| Diphda | 138.3° | — | 221.7° | — | |
| Alphecca | 31.2° | — | 328.8° | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 56.3° | — | 303.7° | — | |
| Spica | 75.6° | — | 284.4° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 75.0° | — | 285.1° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 58.0° | — | 302.0° | — | |
| Murzim | 120.1° | — | 239.9° | — | |
| Phact | 143.9° | — | 216.1° | — | |
| Mirfak | 58.1° | — | 301.9° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 49.8° | — | 310.2° | — | |
| Markab | 92.9° | — | 267.1° | — | |
| Algol | 69.1° | — | 290.9° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 104.8° | — | 255.2° | — | |
| Sadalsuud | 106.8° | — | 253.2° | — | |
| Sun (Summer Solstice) | 62.7° | — | 297.3° | — | |
| Sun (Winter Solstice) | 117.3° | — | 242.7° | — | |
| Sun (Equinox) | 90.0° | — | 270.0° | — | |
| Sun (Northern Cross-Quarter) | 70.9° | — | 289.1° | — | |
| Sun (Southern Cross-Quarter) | 109.1° | — | 250.9° | — | |
| Moon (N Major Standstill) | 56.3° | — | 303.7° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 123.7° | — | 236.3° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 68.3° | — | 291.7° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 111.7° | — | 248.3° | — |
| Landmark | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| giza | 338.96° | 5 km |
| angkor wat | 86.50° | 7,619 km |
| nazca | 264.70° | 12,354 km |
| teotihuacan | 309.47° | 12,328 km |
| stonehenge | 320.41° | 3,600 km |
| gobekli tepe | 39.54° | 1,083 km |
| machu picchu | 265.03° | 12,039 km |
| easter island | 264.74° | 16,162 km |
| cahokia | 318.06° | 10,256 km |
| sedona | 328.96° | 11,828 km |
| mecca | 135.48° | 1,285 km |
| jerusalem | 61.30° | 438 km |
| vatican | 313.56° | 2,138 km |
| lhasa | 74.28° | 5,716 km |
| kailash | 75.24° | 4,765 km |
| uluru | 108.24° | 12,273 km |
| tiwanaku | 260.07° | 11,842 km |
| chaco canyon | 327.01° | 11,524 km |
| mt shasta | 339.70° | 11,636 km |
| levis stadium | 337.80° | 12,021 km |