Shwezigon Pagoda established the prototype for all subsequent Burmese stupas — three octagonal terraces ascending to a massive bell-shaped gold-plated stupa. Begun by Anawrahta and completed by Kyanzittha around 1102 CE, it enshrines a bone and tooth relic of the Buddha. Four bronze standing Buddha statues face the cardinal directions from subsidiary shrines. The transition from octagonal terraces to circular dome represents a geometric meditation on the relationship between angular and curved sacred forms. At 292.85° Giza bearing, Shwezigon anchors the northern edge of the Bagan alignment cluster at the town of Nyaung-U.
Stellar Alignments (89 stars)
| Star ▴ | Rise Az ▴ | Rise Δ ▴ | Set Az ▴ | Set Δ ▴ | Tradition ▴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleiades (Alcyone) | 87.0° | — | 273.0° | — | |
| Orion's Belt (Alnilam) | 105.6° | — | 254.4° | — | |
| Sirius | 112.3° | — | 247.7° | — | |
| Thuban | — | — | — | — | |
| Vega | 43.4° | — | 316.6° | — | |
| Regulus | 64.2° | — | 295.9° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 92.1° | — | 267.9° | — | |
| Antares | 97.6° | — | 262.4° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 138.4° | — | 221.6° | — | |
| Arcturus | 40.3° | — | 319.7° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 105.7° | — | 254.3° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 74.3° | — | 285.7° | — | |
| Deneb | 50.4° | — | 309.6° | — | |
| Capella | 58.6° | — | 301.4° | — | |
| Castor | 60.8° | — | 299.2° | — | |
| Pollux | 63.3° | — | 296.7° | — | |
| Procyon | 85.1° | — | 274.9° | — | |
| Betelgeuse | 95.2° | — | 264.8° | — | |
| Rigel | 114.7° | — | 245.3° | — | |
| Bellatrix | 98.9° | — | 261.1° | — | |
| Achernar | — | — | — | — | |
| Acrux | 133.9° | — | 226.1° | — | |
| Mimosa | 129.6° | — | 230.4° | — | |
| Altair | 80.9° | — | 279.1° | — | |
| Kochab | — | — | — | — | |
| Dubhe | — | — | — | — | |
| Alkaid | — | — | — | — | |
| Mizar | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamal | 90.2° | — | 269.8° | — | |
| Zubenelgenubi | 82.3° | — | 277.7° | — | |
| Alnitak | 106.0° | — | 254.1° | — | |
| Mintaka | 105.1° | — | 254.9° | — | |
| Saiph | 113.1° | — | 246.9° | — | |
| Peacock | 148.2° | — | 211.8° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | 150.5° | — | 209.5° | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 131.8° | — | 228.2° | — | |
| Hadar | 129.7° | — | 230.3° | — | |
| Gacrux | 126.9° | — | 233.1° | — | |
| Naos | 128.3° | — | 231.7° | — | |
| Suhail | 125.3° | — | 234.7° | — | |
| Avior | 145.1° | — | 214.9° | — | |
| Atria | 143.4° | — | 216.6° | — | |
| Regor | 134.8° | — | 225.2° | — | |
| Alsephina | 138.4° | — | 221.6° | — | |
| Shaula | 112.9° | — | 247.1° | — | |
| Ankaa | 162.2° | — | 197.8° | — | |
| Menkent | 102.8° | — | 257.2° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 81.7° | — | 278.3° | — | |
| Eltanin | 25.5° | — | 334.5° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 47.6° | — | 312.4° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 62.4° | — | 297.6° | — | |
| Denebola | 52.6° | — | 307.4° | — | |
| Alhena | 82.0° | — | 278.0° | — | |
| Alphard | 89.0° | — | 271.0° | — | |
| Bharani | 93.1° | — | 266.9° | — | |
| Pushya | 66.7° | — | 293.4° | — | |
| Adhara | 124.7° | — | 235.3° | — | |
| Wezen | 121.1° | — | 238.9° | — | |
| Navi | 49.4° | — | 310.6° | — | |
| Schedar | 53.6° | — | 306.4° | — | |
| Nunki | 109.3° | — | 250.7° | — | |
| Canopus | 152.1° | — | 207.9° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 114.3° | — | 245.7° | — | |
| Sabik | 89.5° | — | 270.5° | — | |
| Scheat | 79.5° | — | 280.4° | — | |
| Enif | 91.4° | — | 268.6° | — | |
| Diphda | 134.0° | — | 226.0° | — | |
| Alphecca | 37.4° | — | 322.6° | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 59.0° | — | 301.0° | — | |
| Spica | 76.6° | — | 283.4° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 76.0° | — | 284.0° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 60.5° | — | 299.5° | — | |
| Murzim | 117.8° | — | 242.2° | — | |
| Phact | 138.7° | — | 221.3° | — | |
| Mirfak | 60.5° | — | 299.4° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 53.1° | — | 306.9° | — | |
| Markab | 92.7° | — | 267.3° | — | |
| Algol | 70.6° | — | 289.4° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 103.7° | — | 256.3° | — | |
| Sadalsuud | 105.6° | — | 254.4° | — | |
| Sun (Summer Solstice) | 64.8° | — | 295.3° | — | |
| Sun (Winter Solstice) | 115.3° | — | 244.8° | — | |
| Sun (Equinox) | 90.0° | — | 270.0° | — | |
| Sun (Northern Cross-Quarter) | 72.3° | — | 287.7° | — | |
| Sun (Southern Cross-Quarter) | 107.7° | — | 252.3° | — | |
| Moon (N Major Standstill) | 59.0° | — | 301.0° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 121.0° | — | 239.0° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 69.9° | — | 290.1° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 110.1° | — | 249.9° | — |
Convergence Events (5)
293.1°
Pushya (Gamma Cancri) Set
Hindu/Vedic (most auspicious nakshatra), Chinese (Gui), Babylonian
Δ 0.3°
293.1°
Kornephoros Set
Chinese (Tianshi/Heavenly Market), Sumerian, Arabic
Δ 0.3°
290.6°
Arcturus Set
Hindu (Swati nakshatra), Polynesian (Hokule'a), Arabic
Δ 2.2°
295.3°
Summer Solstice Sunset
Universal
Δ 2.4°
295.3°
Hamal Set
Babylonian, Arabic (the ram), Hindu, Chinese
Δ 2.4°
Reference Bearings (20 landmarks)
| Landmark | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| giza | 292.85° | 6,388 km |
| angkor wat | 130.74° | 1,288 km |
| nazca | 302.17° | 18,726 km |
| teotihuacan | 19.09° | 15,230 km |
| stonehenge | 320.41° | 8,637 km |
| gobekli tepe | 301.41° | 5,629 km |
| machu picchu | 301.73° | 18,408 km |
| easter island | 109.80° | 17,476 km |
| cahokia | 4.44° | 13,340 km |
| sedona | 24.74° | 13,176 km |
| mecca | 280.96° | 5,671 km |
| jerusalem | 294.58° | 5,981 km |
| vatican | 308.52° | 7,844 km |
| lhasa | 338.97° | 1,014 km |
| kailash | 311.89° | 1,740 km |
| uluru | 141.18° | 6,483 km |
| tiwanaku | 283.79° | 18,209 km |
| chaco canyon | 20.97° | 13,211 km |
| mt shasta | 28.62° | 12,078 km |
| levis stadium | 30.89° | 12,444 km |
Related Sites — Giza / Orion Extraction