The first capital of the Achaemenid Empire, founded by Cyrus the Great (559-530 BCE) after his victory over the Medes. The Tomb of Cyrus — a gabled stone chamber on a stepped plinth — is oriented precisely to the cardinal directions and inspired Alexander the Great to order its restoration after his conquest. The site contains the earliest known Persian chahar bagh — the four-fold garden divided by water channels that would influence the Taj Mahal, the Alhambra, and Islamic garden architecture worldwide for 2,500 years. At 1,900 meters elevation on the Iranian Plateau, the site served as both ceremonial capital and astronomical observation platform. Cyrus's own inscription reads: "I am Cyrus, king of the world." UNESCO World Heritage Site.
WikipediaStellar Alignments (89 stars)
| Star ▴ | Rise Az ▴ | Rise Δ ▴ | Set Az ▴ | Set Δ ▴ | Tradition ▴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleiades (Alcyone) | 74.5° | — | 285.5° | — | |
| Orion's Belt (Alnilam) | 97.4° | — | 262.6° | — | |
| Sirius | 109.2° | — | 250.8° | — | |
| Thuban | — | — | — | — | |
| Vega | 43.3° | — | 316.7° | — | |
| Regulus | 64.7° | — | 295.4° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 80.8° | — | 279.2° | — | |
| Antares | 110.1° | — | 249.9° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 139.3° | — | 220.7° | — | |
| Arcturus | 50.1° | — | 309.9° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 117.5° | — | 242.5° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 62.6° | — | 297.4° | — | |
| Deneb | 44.1° | — | 315.9° | — | |
| Capella | 43.6° | — | 316.4° | — | |
| Castor | 51.3° | — | 308.7° | — | |
| Pollux | 55.0° | — | 305.0° | — | |
| Procyon | 80.8° | — | 279.2° | — | |
| Betelgeuse | 86.5° | — | 273.5° | — | |
| Rigel | 106.7° | — | 253.3° | — | |
| Bellatrix | 89.6° | — | 270.4° | — | |
| Achernar | — | — | — | — | |
| Acrux | 151.3° | — | 208.7° | — | |
| Mimosa | 146.1° | — | 213.9° | — | |
| Altair | 83.4° | — | 276.6° | — | |
| Kochab | — | — | — | — | |
| Dubhe | — | — | — | — | |
| Alkaid | — | — | — | — | |
| Mizar | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamal | 78.3° | — | 281.7° | — | |
| Zubenelgenubi | 94.0° | — | 266.0° | — | |
| Alnitak | 97.9° | — | 262.1° | — | |
| Mintaka | 96.7° | — | 263.4° | — | |
| Saiph | 106.2° | — | 253.8° | — | |
| Peacock | 172.3° | — | 187.7° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | — | — | — | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 150.1° | — | 209.9° | — | |
| Hadar | 147.5° | — | 212.5° | — | |
| Gacrux | 142.3° | — | 217.7° | — | |
| Naos | 132.0° | — | 228.0° | — | |
| Suhail | 132.0° | — | 228.0° | — | |
| Avior | 157.1° | — | 202.9° | — | |
| Atria | 173.1° | — | 186.9° | — | |
| Regor | 140.7° | — | 219.3° | — | |
| Alsephina | 148.1° | — | 211.9° | — | |
| Shaula | 126.2° | — | 233.8° | — | |
| Ankaa | 162.8° | — | 197.2° | — | |
| Menkent | 116.4° | — | 243.6° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 71.8° | — | 288.3° | — | |
| Eltanin | 21.6° | — | 338.4° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 55.0° | — | 304.9° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 69.4° | — | 290.6° | — | |
| Denebola | 57.4° | — | 302.6° | — | |
| Alhena | 73.4° | — | 286.6° | — | |
| Alphard | 90.6° | — | 269.4° | — | |
| Bharani | 81.6° | — | 278.4° | — | |
| Pushya | 62.4° | — | 297.6° | — | |
| Adhara | 123.5° | — | 236.6° | — | |
| Wezen | 119.7° | — | 240.3° | — | |
| Navi | 32.4° | — | 327.6° | — | |
| Schedar | 38.3° | — | 321.7° | — | |
| Nunki | 119.1° | — | 240.9° | — | |
| Canopus | 157.5° | — | 202.5° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 126.3° | — | 233.7° | — | |
| Sabik | 100.2° | — | 259.8° | — | |
| Scheat | 71.6° | — | 288.4° | — | |
| Enif | 89.0° | — | 271.0° | — | |
| Diphda | 127.6° | — | 232.4° | — | |
| Alphecca | 45.3° | — | 314.7° | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 66.2° | — | 293.8° | — | |
| Spica | 86.9° | — | 273.1° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 87.3° | — | 272.7° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 70.3° | — | 289.7° | — | |
| Murzim | 113.3° | — | 246.7° | — | |
| Phact | 135.5° | — | 224.5° | — | |
| Mirfak | 44.6° | — | 315.4° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 60.9° | — | 299.1° | — | |
| Markab | 86.4° | — | 273.6° | — | |
| Algol | 56.2° | — | 303.8° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 101.7° | — | 258.3° | — | |
| Sadalsuud | 105.9° | — | 254.1° | — | |
| Sun (Summer Solstice) | 62.6° | — | 297.4° | — | |
| Sun (Winter Solstice) | 117.4° | — | 242.6° | — | |
| Sun (Equinox) | 90.0° | — | 270.0° | — | |
| Sun (Northern Cross-Quarter) | 70.8° | — | 289.2° | — | |
| Sun (Southern Cross-Quarter) | 109.2° | — | 250.8° | — | |
| Moon (N Major Standstill) | 56.2° | — | 303.8° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 123.8° | — | 236.2° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 68.2° | — | 291.8° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 111.8° | — | 248.2° | — |
Related Sites — Solar Alignment