The largest religious complex ever built — 200 acres of temples, pylons, obelisks, and hypostyle halls constructed over 2,000 years by 30 pharaohs. The Great Hypostyle Hall contains 134 columns, 12 of which stand 21 meters tall and 3.5 meters in diameter — the largest stone columns ever erected. The temple's main axis aligns to winter solstice sunrise, when light penetrates 260 meters to illuminate the inner sanctuary. Karnak was connected to Luxor Temple by a 2.7-kilometer sphinx-lined avenue (the Avenue of Sphinxes), recently fully excavated. The temple sits at 343.11° to Giza along the Nile meridian. Ancient Egyptians called it Ipet-isut — "The Most Select of Places."
WikipediaStellar Alignments (89 stars)
| Star ▴ | Rise Az ▴ | Rise Δ ▴ | Set Az ▴ | Set Δ ▴ | Tradition ▴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleiades (Alcyone) | 83.8° | — | 276.1° | — | |
| Orion's Belt (Alnilam) | 103.5° | — | 256.5° | — | |
| Sirius | 111.5° | — | 248.5° | — | |
| Thuban | — | — | — | — | |
| Vega | 42.7° | — | 317.3° | — | |
| Regulus | 63.3° | — | 296.7° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 89.1° | — | 270.9° | — | |
| Antares | 100.9° | — | 259.1° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 140.4° | — | 219.6° | — | |
| Arcturus | 41.6° | — | 318.4° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 109.2° | — | 250.8° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 70.9° | — | 289.1° | — | |
| Deneb | 48.5° | — | 311.5° | — | |
| Capella | 54.3° | — | 305.7° | — | |
| Castor | 57.5° | — | 302.5° | — | |
| Pollux | 60.4° | — | 299.6° | — | |
| Procyon | 83.5° | — | 276.5° | — | |
| Betelgeuse | 92.8° | — | 267.2° | — | |
| Rigel | 112.9° | — | 247.1° | — | |
| Bellatrix | 96.5° | — | 263.5° | — | |
| Achernar | — | — | — | — | |
| Acrux | 138.5° | — | 221.5° | — | |
| Mimosa | 133.9° | — | 226.1° | — | |
| Altair | 81.8° | — | 278.2° | — | |
| Kochab | — | — | — | — | |
| Dubhe | — | — | — | — | |
| Alkaid | — | — | — | — | |
| Mizar | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamal | 87.4° | — | 272.6° | — | |
| Zubenelgenubi | 85.0° | — | 275.0° | — | |
| Alnitak | 103.9° | — | 256.1° | — | |
| Mintaka | 103.0° | — | 257.1° | — | |
| Saiph | 111.5° | — | 248.6° | — | |
| Peacock | 154.7° | — | 205.3° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | 156.3° | — | 203.7° | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 136.7° | — | 223.3° | — | |
| Hadar | 134.4° | — | 225.6° | — | |
| Gacrux | 130.9° | — | 229.1° | — | |
| Naos | 129.6° | — | 230.4° | — | |
| Suhail | 127.2° | — | 232.8° | — | |
| Avior | 148.8° | — | 211.2° | — | |
| Atria | 149.9° | — | 210.1° | — | |
| Regor | 136.8° | — | 223.2° | — | |
| Alsephina | 141.4° | — | 218.6° | — | |
| Shaula | 116.8° | — | 243.2° | — | |
| Ankaa | 166.8° | — | 193.2° | — | |
| Menkent | 106.2° | — | 253.8° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 79.5° | — | 280.5° | — | |
| Eltanin | 22.8° | — | 337.2° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 48.8° | — | 311.2° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 64.0° | — | 296.0° | — | |
| Denebola | 52.6° | — | 307.4° | — | |
| Alhena | 79.4° | — | 280.6° | — | |
| Alphard | 88.9° | — | 271.1° | — | |
| Bharani | 90.5° | — | 269.5° | — | |
| Pushya | 64.6° | — | 295.4° | — | |
| Adhara | 124.7° | — | 235.3° | — | |
| Wezen | 120.9° | — | 239.1° | — | |
| Navi | 44.9° | — | 315.1° | — | |
| Schedar | 49.6° | — | 310.4° | — | |
| Nunki | 112.4° | — | 247.6° | — | |
| Canopus | 154.9° | — | 205.1° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 118.0° | — | 242.0° | — | |
| Sabik | 92.4° | — | 267.6° | — | |
| Scheat | 77.8° | — | 282.2° | — | |
| Enif | 91.3° | — | 268.7° | — | |
| Diphda | 133.7° | — | 226.3° | — | |
| Alphecca | 38.3° | — | 321.8° | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 60.5° | — | 299.5° | — | |
| Spica | 78.7° | — | 281.3° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 78.6° | — | 281.4° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 62.5° | — | 297.5° | — | |
| Murzim | 116.8° | — | 243.2° | — | |
| Phact | 138.6° | — | 221.4° | — | |
| Mirfak | 56.3° | — | 303.7° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 54.1° | — | 305.9° | — | |
| Markab | 91.6° | — | 268.4° | — | |
| Algol | 66.8° | — | 293.1° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 104.0° | — | 256.1° | — | |
| Sadalsuud | 106.5° | — | 253.5° | — | |
| Sun (Summer Solstice) | 63.8° | — | 296.2° | — | |
| Sun (Winter Solstice) | 116.2° | — | 243.8° | — | |
| Sun (Equinox) | 90.0° | — | 270.0° | — | |
| Sun (Northern Cross-Quarter) | 71.6° | — | 288.4° | — | |
| Sun (Southern Cross-Quarter) | 108.4° | — | 251.6° | — | |
| Moon (N Major Standstill) | 57.8° | — | 302.2° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 122.2° | — | 237.8° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 69.1° | — | 290.9° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 110.9° | — | 249.1° | — |
Reference Bearings (20 landmarks)
| Landmark | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| giza | 343.11° | 500 km |
| angkor wat | 85.45° | 7,506 km |
| nazca | 263.67° | 12,452 km |
| teotihuacan | 309.14° | 12,741 km |
| stonehenge | 323.42° | 4,063 km |
| gobekli tepe | 23.33° | 1,413 km |
| machu picchu | 264.25° | 12,140 km |
| easter island | 258.98° | 16,240 km |
| cahokia | 318.62° | 10,706 km |
| sedona | 329.30° | 12,309 km |
| mecca | 121.44° | 872 km |
| jerusalem | 19.76° | 721 km |
| vatican | 319.35° | 2,582 km |
| lhasa | 71.42° | 5,715 km |
| kailash | 71.13° | 4,762 km |
| uluru | 110.18° | 11,979 km |
| tiwanaku | 259.44° | 11,902 km |
| chaco canyon | 327.37° | 12,001 km |
| mt shasta | 340.33° | 12,131 km |
| levis stadium | 338.36° | 12,515 km |
Related Sites — Solar Alignment