Built around 2670 BCE for Pharaoh Djoser by the architect Imhotep — history's first named architect — the Step Pyramid at Saqqara is the oldest monumental stone structure in Egypt and the prototype for all subsequent pyramids. Rising 62 meters in six tiers, the pyramid began as a flat-roofed mastaba before Imhotep's revolutionary decision to stack progressively smaller platforms. The surrounding complex covers 37 acres (15 hectares) and includes the first known use of stone columns, carved to imitate bundled papyrus reeds. Beneath the pyramid, 5.7 km of tunnels and chambers form a subterranean labyrinth lined with 40,000 blue faience tiles imitating reed matting — an underground palace for eternity. At Giza bearing 326.6° and only 14.4 km from the Great Pyramid, Djoser's monument represents the moment Egyptian civilization leapt from mud-brick to megalithic stone — a quantum shift in ambition and engineering that Imhotep's genius made manifest.
| 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 | 62.0° | — | 298.0° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 92.2° | — | 267.8° | — | |
| Antares | 98.1° | — | 261.9° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 143.5° | — | 216.5° | — | |
| Arcturus | 34.9° | — | 325.1° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 107.0° | — | 253.0° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 73.1° | — | 286.9° | — | |
| Deneb | 46.7° | — | 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 | 106.3° | — | 253.7° | — | |
| Saiph | 114.9° | — | 245.1° | — | |
| Peacock | 156.0° | — | 204.0° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | 159.4° | — | 200.6° | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 135.8° | — | 224.2° | — | |
| Hadar | 133.4° | — | 226.6° | — | |
| Gacrux | 130.2° | — | 229.8° | — | |
| Naos | 131.8° | — | 228.2° | — | |
| Suhail | 128.4° | — | 231.6° | — | |
| Avior | 151.9° | — | 208.1° | — | |
| Atria | 149.6° | — | 210.4° | — | |
| Regor | 139.3° | — | 220.7° | — | |
| Alsephina | 143.6° | — | 216.4° | — | |
| Shaula | 114.8° | — | 245.2° | — | |
| Ankaa | — | — | — | — | |
| Menkent | 103.8° | — | 256.2° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 81.1° | — | 278.9° | — | |
| Eltanin | 14.0° | — | 346.0° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 43.5° | — | 316.5° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 60.1° | — | 299.9° | — | |
| Denebola | 49.2° | — | 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° | — | 232.2° | — | |
| Wezen | 123.8° | — | 236.2° | — | |
| Navi | 45.5° | — | 314.4° | — | |
| Schedar | 50.4° | — | 309.6° | — | |
| Nunki | 110.9° | — | 249.1° | — | |
| Canopus | 161.9° | — | 198.1° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 116.3° | — | 243.7° | — | |
| Sabik | 89.5° | — | 270.5° | — | |
| Scheat | 78.8° | — | 281.3° | — | |
| Enif | 91.5° | — | 268.5° | — | |
| Diphda | 138.3° | — | 221.7° | — | |
| Alphecca | 31.3° | — | 328.7° | — | |
| 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 | 49.8° | — | 310.2° | — | |
| Markab | 92.9° | — | 267.1° | — | |
| Algol | 69.1° | — | 290.9° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 104.8° | — | 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) | 123.7° | — | 236.3° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 68.3° | — | 291.7° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 111.7° | — | 248.3° | — |
| Landmark | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| giza | 326.60° | 14 km |
| angkor wat | 86.51° | 7,613 km |
| nazca | 264.71° | 12,360 km |
| teotihuacan | 309.50° | 12,338 km |
| stonehenge | 320.45° | 3,610 km |
| gobekli tepe | 39.07° | 1,085 km |
| machu picchu | 265.04° | 12,044 km |
| easter island | 264.67° | 16,168 km |
| cahokia | 318.09° | 10,266 km |
| sedona | 328.99° | 11,837 km |
| mecca | 135.48° | 1,275 km |
| jerusalem | 60.06° | 436 km |
| vatican | 313.62° | 2,147 km |
| lhasa | 74.25° | 5,712 km |
| kailash | 75.18° | 4,761 km |
| uluru | 108.29° | 12,264 km |
| tiwanaku | 260.08° | 11,847 km |
| chaco canyon | 327.04° | 11,534 km |
| mt shasta | 339.74° | 11,646 km |
| levis stadium | 337.84° | 12,031 km |