The largest religious monument ever built — 162.6 hectares, larger than Vatican City — was constructed in the early 12th century as a Hindu temple to Vishnu, later converted to Buddhism. Its central towers replicate Mount Meru, the cosmic axis of Hindu-Buddhist cosmology. The temple's west-facing orientation is unique among Angkorian temples and aligns it with the setting sun — a funerary association suggesting the entire complex functions as a death-transition architecture. At the spring equinox, the sun rises directly over the central tower. The surrounding moat — 190 meters wide — creates electromagnetic isolation, while its water surface doubles as a reflective amplifier. Bas-reliefs extending 800 meters depict the Churning of the Ocean of Milk — the creation narrative.
Stellar Alignments (89 stars)
| Star ▴ | Rise Az ▴ | Rise Δ ▴ | Set Az ▴ | Set Δ ▴ | Tradition ▴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleiades (Alcyone) | 87.2° | — | 272.9° | — | |
| Orion's Belt (Alnilam) | 105.0° | — | 255.0° | — | |
| Sirius | 111.4° | — | 248.6° | — | |
| Thuban | — | — | — | — | |
| Vega | 45.8° | — | 314.2° | — | |
| Regulus | 65.3° | — | 294.7° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 92.0° | — | 268.0° | — | |
| Antares | 97.3° | — | 262.8° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 135.8° | — | 224.2° | — | |
| Arcturus | 43.0° | — | 316.9° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 105.1° | — | 254.9° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 75.0° | — | 285.0° | — | |
| Deneb | 52.3° | — | 307.7° | — | |
| Capella | 60.1° | — | 299.9° | — | |
| Castor | 62.1° | — | 297.9° | — | |
| Pollux | 64.5° | — | 295.5° | — | |
| Procyon | 85.3° | — | 274.7° | — | |
| Betelgeuse | 95.0° | — | 265.0° | — | |
| Rigel | 113.6° | — | 246.4° | — | |
| Bellatrix | 98.5° | — | 261.4° | — | |
| Achernar | — | — | — | — | |
| Acrux | 131.7° | — | 228.3° | — | |
| Mimosa | 127.7° | — | 232.3° | — | |
| Altair | 81.3° | — | 278.8° | — | |
| Kochab | — | — | — | — | |
| Dubhe | 13.4° | — | 346.6° | — | |
| Alkaid | 10.3° | — | 349.6° | — | |
| Mizar | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamal | 90.2° | — | 269.8° | — | |
| Zubenelgenubi | 82.6° | — | 277.4° | — | |
| Alnitak | 105.3° | — | 254.7° | — | |
| Mintaka | 104.5° | — | 255.6° | — | |
| Saiph | 112.1° | — | 247.9° | — | |
| Peacock | 144.5° | — | 215.5° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | 146.6° | — | 213.4° | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 129.8° | — | 230.2° | — | |
| Hadar | 127.7° | — | 232.3° | — | |
| Gacrux | 125.1° | — | 234.9° | — | |
| Naos | 126.5° | — | 233.5° | — | |
| Suhail | 123.6° | — | 236.4° | — | |
| Avior | 141.9° | — | 218.1° | — | |
| Atria | 140.3° | — | 219.7° | — | |
| Regor | 132.5° | — | 227.5° | — | |
| Alsephina | 135.8° | — | 224.2° | — | |
| Shaula | 111.9° | — | 248.1° | — | |
| Ankaa | 155.8° | — | 204.2° | — | |
| Menkent | 102.3° | — | 257.7° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 82.1° | — | 277.9° | — | |
| Eltanin | 30.1° | — | 329.9° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 49.7° | — | 310.3° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 63.6° | — | 296.4° | — | |
| Denebola | 54.4° | — | 305.6° | — | |
| Alhena | 82.4° | — | 277.6° | — | |
| Alphard | 89.0° | — | 271.0° | — | |
| Bharani | 93.0° | — | 267.0° | — | |
| Pushya | 67.7° | — | 292.3° | — | |
| Adhara | 123.1° | — | 236.9° | — | |
| Wezen | 119.7° | — | 240.3° | — | |
| Navi | 51.4° | — | 308.6° | — | |
| Schedar | 55.3° | — | 304.7° | — | |
| Nunki | 108.5° | — | 251.5° | — | |
| Canopus | 147.9° | — | 212.1° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 113.3° | — | 246.7° | — | |
| Sabik | 89.5° | — | 270.5° | — | |
| Scheat | 80.0° | — | 280.0° | — | |
| Enif | 91.4° | — | 268.6° | — | |
| Diphda | 131.7° | — | 228.3° | — | |
| Alphecca | 40.4° | — | 319.6° | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 60.4° | — | 299.6° | — | |
| Spica | 77.2° | — | 282.8° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 76.6° | — | 283.4° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 61.8° | — | 298.2° | — | |
| Murzim | 116.5° | — | 243.4° | — | |
| Phact | 136.0° | — | 224.0° | — | |
| Mirfak | 61.9° | — | 298.1° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 54.9° | — | 305.1° | — | |
| Markab | 92.6° | — | 267.4° | — | |
| Algol | 71.4° | — | 288.6° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 103.1° | — | 256.9° | — | |
| Sadalsuud | 104.9° | — | 255.1° | — | |
| Sun (Summer Solstice) | 65.9° | — | 294.1° | — | |
| Sun (Winter Solstice) | 114.1° | — | 245.9° | — | |
| Sun (Equinox) | 90.0° | — | 270.0° | — | |
| Sun (Northern Cross-Quarter) | 73.0° | — | 287.0° | — | |
| Sun (Southern Cross-Quarter) | 107.0° | — | 253.0° | — | |
| Moon (N Major Standstill) | 60.4° | — | 299.6° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 119.6° | — | 240.4° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 70.7° | — | 289.3° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 109.3° | — | 250.7° | — |
Convergence Events (6)
297.5°
Alphecca Set
Celtic (Caer Arianrhod), Arabic, Aboriginal, Pawnee (council ring)
Δ 0.3°
298.1°
Bharani (41 Arietis) Set
Hindu/Vedic (death/rebirth nakshatra), IAU named
Δ 0.8°
298.9°
Pollux Set
Greek (Dioscuri), Hindu (Punarvasu), Chinese, Arabic
Δ 1.6°
298.9°
Scheat Set
Hindu (Purva Bhadrapada), Arabic, Chinese, Persian
Δ 1.7°
294.8°
Pleiades (Alcyone) Set
Maya, Greek, Aboriginal, Hindu (Krittika), Japanese (Subaru)
Δ 2.5°
300.0°
Alpheratz Set
Chinese (Wall/Bi mansion), Arabic, Hindu
Δ 2.7°
Reference Bearings (20 landmarks)
| Landmark | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| giza | 297.27° | 7,620 km |
| angkor wat | 0.00° | 0 km |
| nazca | 219.59° | 19,824 km |
| teotihuacan | 34.48° | 15,573 km |
| stonehenge | 322.87° | 9,907 km |
| gobekli tepe | 305.27° | 6,902 km |
| machu picchu | 273.67° | 19,626 km |
| easter island | 119.03° | 16,246 km |
| cahokia | 13.49° | 14,047 km |
| sedona | 33.92° | 13,462 km |
| mecca | 287.30° | 6,810 km |
| jerusalem | 299.08° | 7,224 km |
| vatican | 311.31° | 9,132 km |
| lhasa | 326.04° | 2,232 km |
| kailash | 314.11° | 3,028 km |
| uluru | 145.61° | 5,219 km |
| tiwanaku | 245.50° | 19,141 km |
| chaco canyon | 30.22° | 13,578 km |
| mt shasta | 35.39° | 12,305 km |
| levis stadium | 38.39° | 12,612 km |
Related Sites — Giza / Orion Extraction