The Black Pyramid at Dahshur, built by Amenemhat III around 1830 BCE, takes its name from the dark mudbrick core exposed after its limestone casing was stripped. The pyramidion (capstone) — one of the few to survive — is carved from polished black granite with a winged sun disk and hieroglyphic inscription; it now resides in the Cairo Museum. The pyramid suffered catastrophic structural problems during construction: underground water infiltration and subsidence caused internal walls to crack, and massive cedar-beam reinforcements were installed in a failed attempt at stabilization. At Giza bearing 337.56° and 22.6 km from the Great Pyramid, these engineering failures forced Amenemhat III to abandon Dahshur and build a second pyramid at Hawara — making him one of only two pharaohs (with Sneferu) to build two pyramids. The Black Pyramid's distress is still visible: tilted walls, cracked ceilings, and the remains of emergency timber bracing document an ancient engineering crisis.
| 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 | 38.6° | — | 321.4° | — | |
| Regulus | 62.1° | — | 297.9° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 92.2° | — | 267.8° | — | |
| Antares | 98.1° | — | 261.9° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 143.5° | — | 216.5° | — | |
| Arcturus | 35.0° | — | 325.0° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 106.9° | — | 253.1° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 73.1° | — | 286.9° | — | |
| Deneb | 46.8° | — | 313.3° | — | |
| Capella | 56.0° | — | 304.0° | — | |
| Castor | 58.4° | — | 301.6° | — | |
| 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 | 138.2° | — | 221.8° | — | |
| 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 | 106.2° | — | 253.8° | — | |
| Saiph | 114.9° | — | 245.1° | — | |
| Peacock | 155.9° | — | 204.1° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | 159.3° | — | 200.7° | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 135.8° | — | 224.2° | — | |
| Hadar | 133.3° | — | 226.7° | — | |
| Gacrux | 130.1° | — | 229.9° | — | |
| Naos | 131.8° | — | 228.2° | — | |
| Suhail | 128.4° | — | 231.6° | — | |
| Avior | 151.8° | — | 208.2° | — | |
| Atria | 149.6° | — | 210.4° | — | |
| Regor | 139.2° | — | 220.8° | — | |
| Alsephina | 143.5° | — | 216.5° | — | |
| Shaula | 114.8° | — | 245.2° | — | |
| Ankaa | — | — | — | — | |
| Menkent | 103.8° | — | 256.2° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 81.1° | — | 278.9° | — | |
| Eltanin | 14.1° | — | 345.9° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 43.6° | — | 316.4° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 60.1° | — | 299.9° | — | |
| Denebola | 49.3° | — | 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° | — | 232.3° | — | |
| Wezen | 123.7° | — | 236.3° | — | |
| Navi | 45.6° | — | 314.4° | — | |
| Schedar | 50.4° | — | 309.6° | — | |
| Nunki | 110.8° | — | 249.2° | — | |
| Canopus | 161.7° | — | 198.3° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 116.3° | — | 243.7° | — | |
| Sabik | 89.5° | — | 270.5° | — | |
| Scheat | 78.8° | — | 281.2° | — | |
| Enif | 91.5° | — | 268.5° | — | |
| Diphda | 138.2° | — | 221.8° | — | |
| Alphecca | 31.4° | — | 328.6° | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 56.4° | — | 303.6° | — | |
| Spica | 75.6° | — | 284.4° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 75.0° | — | 285.0° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 58.0° | — | 302.0° | — | |
| Murzim | 120.1° | — | 239.9° | — | |
| Phact | 143.8° | — | 216.2° | — | |
| Mirfak | 58.1° | — | 301.9° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 49.9° | — | 310.1° | — | |
| Markab | 92.9° | — | 267.1° | — | |
| Algol | 69.1° | — | 290.9° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 104.7° | — | 255.3° | — | |
| 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) | 56.4° | — | 303.6° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 123.6° | — | 236.4° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 68.3° | — | 291.7° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 111.7° | — | 248.3° | — |
| Landmark | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| giza | 337.56° | 23 km |
| angkor wat | 86.48° | 7,613 km |
| nazca | 264.68° | 12,360 km |
| teotihuacan | 309.48° | 12,344 km |
| stonehenge | 320.52° | 3,617 km |
| gobekli tepe | 38.75° | 1,091 km |
| machu picchu | 265.02° | 12,044 km |
| easter island | 264.55° | 16,168 km |
| cahokia | 318.09° | 10,273 km |
| sedona | 328.99° | 11,845 km |
| mecca | 135.23° | 1,268 km |
| jerusalem | 59.02° | 440 km |
| vatican | 313.78° | 2,154 km |
| lhasa | 74.19° | 5,713 km |
| kailash | 75.10° | 4,763 km |
| uluru | 108.33° | 12,261 km |
| tiwanaku | 260.06° | 11,846 km |
| chaco canyon | 327.04° | 11,542 km |
| mt shasta | 339.74° | 11,654 km |
| levis stadium | 337.83° | 12,039 km |