The Akapana Pyramid at Tiwanaku was originally a seven-terraced stepped platform rising 18 meters — the largest structure at this pre-Inca capital on the Bolivian altiplano at 3,850 meters elevation. Its largest stone weighs 65.7 metric tons. A central sunken court crowned the summit, capturing rainwater in an engineered drainage system. Centuries of looting have left a deep excavation scar on the east face. Tenon heads depicting pumas and human faces once studded the walls. At 62.89° Giza bearing and 11,841 km from Egypt, the Akapana's engineering at extreme altitude — where oxygen is 35% lower than sea level — represents one of antiquity's most remarkable construction achievements.
Stellar Alignments (89 stars)
| Star ▴ | Rise Az ▴ | Rise Δ ▴ | Set Az ▴ | Set Δ ▴ | Tradition ▴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleiades (Alcyone) | 87.1° | — | 272.9° | — | |
| Orion's Belt (Alnilam) | 105.2° | — | 254.8° | — | |
| Sirius | 111.7° | — | 248.3° | — | |
| Thuban | — | — | — | — | |
| Vega | 45.0° | — | 315.0° | — | |
| Regulus | 64.9° | — | 295.1° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 92.0° | — | 268.0° | — | |
| Antares | 97.4° | — | 262.6° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 136.7° | — | 223.3° | — | |
| Arcturus | 42.1° | — | 317.9° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 105.3° | — | 254.7° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 74.8° | — | 285.2° | — | |
| Deneb | 51.7° | — | 308.3° | — | |
| Capella | 59.6° | — | 300.4° | — | |
| Castor | 61.7° | — | 298.3° | — | |
| Pollux | 64.1° | — | 295.9° | — | |
| Procyon | 85.2° | — | 274.8° | — | |
| Betelgeuse | 95.1° | — | 264.9° | — | |
| Rigel | 114.0° | — | 246.0° | — | |
| Bellatrix | 98.7° | — | 261.3° | — | |
| Achernar | — | — | — | — | |
| Acrux | 132.4° | — | 227.6° | — | |
| Mimosa | 128.3° | — | 231.7° | — | |
| Altair | 81.1° | — | 278.9° | — | |
| Kochab | — | — | — | — | |
| Dubhe | 9.2° | — | 350.8° | — | |
| Alkaid | 3.4° | — | 356.6° | — | |
| Mizar | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamal | 90.2° | — | 269.8° | — | |
| Zubenelgenubi | 82.5° | — | 277.5° | — | |
| Alnitak | 105.5° | — | 254.5° | — | |
| Mintaka | 104.7° | — | 255.3° | — | |
| Saiph | 112.4° | — | 247.6° | — | |
| Peacock | 145.7° | — | 214.3° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | 147.9° | — | 212.1° | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 130.5° | — | 229.5° | — | |
| Hadar | 128.4° | — | 231.6° | — | |
| Gacrux | 125.7° | — | 234.3° | — | |
| Naos | 127.1° | — | 232.9° | — | |
| Suhail | 124.2° | — | 235.8° | — | |
| Avior | 143.0° | — | 217.0° | — | |
| Atria | 141.3° | — | 218.7° | — | |
| Regor | 133.3° | — | 226.7° | — | |
| Alsephina | 136.7° | — | 223.3° | — | |
| Shaula | 112.3° | — | 247.7° | — | |
| Ankaa | 157.8° | — | 202.2° | — | |
| Menkent | 102.5° | — | 257.5° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 81.9° | — | 278.1° | — | |
| Eltanin | 28.6° | — | 331.4° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 49.0° | — | 311.0° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 63.2° | — | 296.8° | — | |
| Denebola | 53.8° | — | 306.2° | — | |
| Alhena | 82.3° | — | 277.8° | — | |
| Alphard | 89.0° | — | 271.0° | — | |
| Bharani | 93.0° | — | 267.0° | — | |
| Pushya | 67.3° | — | 292.7° | — | |
| Adhara | 123.7° | — | 236.3° | — | |
| Wezen | 120.2° | — | 239.8° | — | |
| Navi | 50.7° | — | 309.3° | — | |
| Schedar | 54.7° | — | 305.3° | — | |
| Nunki | 108.8° | — | 251.2° | — | |
| Canopus | 149.3° | — | 210.7° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 113.6° | — | 246.4° | — | |
| Sabik | 89.5° | — | 270.5° | — | |
| Scheat | 79.8° | — | 280.2° | — | |
| Enif | 91.4° | — | 268.6° | — | |
| Diphda | 132.5° | — | 227.5° | — | |
| Alphecca | 39.4° | — | 320.6° | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 59.9° | — | 300.1° | — | |
| Spica | 77.0° | — | 283.0° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 76.4° | — | 283.6° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 61.3° | — | 298.7° | — | |
| Murzim | 117.0° | — | 243.0° | — | |
| Phact | 136.9° | — | 223.1° | — | |
| Mirfak | 61.4° | — | 298.6° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 54.3° | — | 305.7° | — | |
| Markab | 92.6° | — | 267.4° | — | |
| Algol | 71.2° | — | 288.8° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 103.3° | — | 256.7° | — | |
| Sadalsuud | 105.2° | — | 254.8° | — | |
| Sun (Summer Solstice) | 65.5° | — | 294.5° | — | |
| Sun (Winter Solstice) | 114.5° | — | 245.5° | — | |
| Sun (Equinox) | 90.0° | — | 270.0° | — | |
| Sun (Northern Cross-Quarter) | 72.8° | — | 287.2° | — | |
| Sun (Southern Cross-Quarter) | 107.2° | — | 252.8° | — | |
| Moon (N Major Standstill) | 59.9° | — | 300.1° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 120.1° | — | 239.9° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 70.4° | — | 289.6° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 109.6° | — | 250.4° | — |
Convergence Events (7)
62.0°
Alphecca Rise
Celtic (Caer Arianrhod), Arabic, Aboriginal, Pawnee (council ring)
Δ 0.9°
61.5°
Bharani (41 Arietis) Rise
Hindu/Vedic (death/rebirth nakshatra), IAU named
Δ 1.4°
64.8°
Pleiades (Alcyone) Rise
Maya, Greek, Aboriginal, Hindu (Krittika), Japanese (Subaru)
Δ 1.9°
60.6°
Pollux Rise
Greek (Dioscuri), Hindu (Punarvasu), Chinese, Arabic
Δ 2.3°
60.6°
Scheat Rise
Hindu (Purva Bhadrapada), Arabic, Chinese, Persian
Δ 2.3°
65.5°
Hamal Rise
Babylonian, Arabic (the ram), Hindu, Chinese
Δ 2.6°
65.5°
Summer Solstice Sunrise
Universal
Δ 2.6°
Reference Bearings (20 landmarks)
| Landmark | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| giza | 62.89° | 11,841 km |
| angkor wat | 112.57° | 19,141 km |
| nazca | 285.77° | 707 km |
| teotihuacan | 319.55° | 5,207 km |
| stonehenge | 35.20° | 9,917 km |
| gobekli tepe | 56.04° | 12,651 km |
| machu picchu | 311.68° | 562 km |
| easter island | 247.15° | 4,339 km |
| cahokia | 340.54° | 6,531 km |
| sedona | 322.05° | 7,306 km |
| mecca | 73.24° | 12,541 km |
| jerusalem | 61.59° | 12,256 km |
| vatican | 47.54° | 10,519 km |
| lhasa | 51.14° | 17,493 km |
| kailash | 56.53° | 16,578 km |
| uluru | 205.03° | 14,890 km |
| tiwanaku | 0.00° | 0 km |
| chaco canyon | 325.42° | 7,162 km |
| mt shasta | 321.47° | 8,471 km |
| levis stadium | 318.41° | 8,186 km |
Related Sites — Pleiades Exchange