An ancient stone structure at 2,939 meters elevation in Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains — 28 spokes radiating from a central cairn within a 25-meter diameter circle. Documented astronomical alignments point to summer solstice sunrise and the heliacal rise points of Aldebaran, Rigel, and Sirius — three of the brightest stars in the sky and culturally significant to indigenous peoples across North America. The wheel has been used ceremonially by multiple tribes — Crow, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Shoshone — for centuries, possibly millennia. Its high-altitude placement ensures unobstructed horizon views in all directions, making it an ideal astronomical observation platform. The 28 spokes may encode the lunar month.
WikipediaStellar Alignments (89 stars)
| Star ▴ | Rise Az ▴ | Rise Δ ▴ | Set Az ▴ | Set Δ ▴ | Tradition ▴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleiades (Alcyone) | 86.1° | — | 273.9° | — | |
| Orion's Belt (Alnilam) | 110.7° | — | 249.3° | — | |
| Sirius | 120.0° | — | 240.0° | — | |
| Thuban | — | — | — | — | |
| Vega | 17.1° | — | 342.9° | — | |
| Regulus | 55.0° | — | 305.0° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 92.7° | — | 267.3° | — | |
| Antares | 100.0° | — | 260.0° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 169.5° | — | 190.5° | — | |
| Arcturus | — | — | — | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 110.9° | — | 249.1° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 69.2° | — | 290.8° | — | |
| Deneb | 33.0° | — | 327.0° | — | |
| Capella | 46.9° | — | 313.1° | — | |
| Castor | 50.1° | — | 309.9° | — | |
| Pollux | 53.8° | — | 306.2° | — | |
| Procyon | 83.5° | — | 276.5° | — | |
| Betelgeuse | 96.8° | — | 263.1° | — | |
| Rigel | 123.3° | — | 236.7° | — | |
| Bellatrix | 101.8° | — | 258.2° | — | |
| Achernar | — | — | — | — | |
| Acrux | 155.7° | — | 204.3° | — | |
| Mimosa | 147.0° | — | 213.0° | — | |
| Altair | 78.0° | — | 282.0° | — | |
| Kochab | — | — | — | — | |
| Dubhe | — | — | — | — | |
| Alkaid | — | — | — | — | |
| Mizar | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamal | 90.2° | — | 269.8° | — | |
| Zubenelgenubi | 79.8° | — | 280.2° | — | |
| Alnitak | 111.2° | — | 248.8° | — | |
| Mintaka | 110.0° | — | 250.0° | — | |
| Saiph | 121.0° | — | 239.0° | — | |
| Peacock | — | — | — | — | |
| Miaplacidus | — | — | — | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 151.3° | — | 208.7° | — | |
| Hadar | 147.1° | — | 212.9° | — | |
| Gacrux | 142.1° | — | 217.9° | — | |
| Naos | 144.6° | — | 215.4° | — | |
| Suhail | 139.4° | — | 220.6° | — | |
| Avior | — | — | — | — | |
| Atria | — | — | — | — | |
| Regor | 157.9° | — | 202.1° | — | |
| Alsephina | 169.6° | — | 190.4° | — | |
| Shaula | 120.8° | — | 239.2° | — | |
| Ankaa | — | — | — | — | |
| Menkent | 107.0° | — | 253.0° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 79.1° | — | 280.9° | — | |
| Eltanin | — | — | — | — | |
| Kornephoros | 27.6° | — | 332.4° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 52.5° | — | 307.5° | — | |
| Denebola | 37.0° | — | 323.0° | — | |
| Alhena | 79.5° | — | 280.5° | — | |
| Alphard | 88.7° | — | 271.3° | — | |
| Bharani | 94.1° | — | 265.9° | — | |
| Pushya | 58.6° | — | 301.4° | — | |
| Adhara | 138.5° | — | 221.5° | — | |
| Wezen | 132.8° | — | 227.2° | — | |
| Navi | 31.1° | — | 328.9° | — | |
| Schedar | 38.7° | — | 321.3° | — | |
| Nunki | 115.8° | — | 244.2° | — | |
| Canopus | — | — | — | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 122.8° | — | 237.2° | — | |
| Sabik | 89.4° | — | 270.6° | — | |
| Scheat | 76.2° | — | 283.8° | — | |
| Enif | 91.9° | — | 268.1° | — | |
| Diphda | 155.9° | — | 204.1° | — | |
| Alphecca | — | — | — | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 47.4° | — | 312.6° | — | |
| Spica | 72.3° | — | 287.7° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 71.5° | — | 288.5° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 49.6° | — | 310.4° | — | |
| Murzim | 127.8° | — | 232.2° | — | |
| Phact | 170.8° | — | 189.2° | — | |
| Mirfak | 49.7° | — | 310.3° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 37.9° | — | 322.1° | — | |
| Markab | 93.6° | — | 266.4° | — | |
| Algol | 64.1° | — | 295.9° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 108.1° | — | 251.9° | — | |
| Sadalsuud | 110.7° | — | 249.3° | — | |
| Sun (Summer Solstice) | 55.9° | — | 304.1° | — | |
| Sun (Winter Solstice) | 124.1° | — | 235.9° | — | |
| Sun (Equinox) | 90.0° | — | 270.0° | — | |
| Sun (Northern Cross-Quarter) | 66.4° | — | 293.6° | — | |
| Sun (Southern Cross-Quarter) | 113.6° | — | 246.4° | — | |
| Moon (N Major Standstill) | 47.4° | — | 312.6° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 132.7° | — | 227.3° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 63.1° | — | 296.9° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 116.9° | — | 243.1° | — |
Related Sites — Stellar Alignment