Q'umarkaj — 'Place of Old Reeds' — was the most powerful highland Maya capital at the time of Spanish arrival, seat of the K'iche' kingdom that dominated Guatemala's western highlands. The Temple of Tohil (jaguar god), the circular Temple of Q'uq'umatz (Feathered Serpent), and four ballcourts served a city of 15,000. It was here that the Popol Vuh, the K'iche' creation epic, was preserved. Pedro de Alvarado burned Q'umarkaj in 1524 after luring the K'iche' lords into a trap. At 50.54° Giza bearing across 12,067 km, it anchors the highland terminus of the Mesoamerican Pleiades alignment.
WikipediaStellar Alignments (89 stars)
| Star ▴ | Rise Az ▴ | Rise Δ ▴ | Set Az ▴ | Set Δ ▴ | Tradition ▴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleiades (Alcyone) | 87.1° | — | 272.9° | — | |
| Orion's Belt (Alnilam) | 105.1° | — | 254.9° | — | |
| Sirius | 111.5° | — | 248.5° | — | |
| Thuban | — | — | — | — | |
| Vega | 45.4° | — | 314.6° | — | |
| Regulus | 65.1° | — | 294.9° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 92.0° | — | 268.0° | — | |
| Antares | 97.3° | — | 262.7° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 136.2° | — | 223.8° | — | |
| Arcturus | 42.6° | — | 317.4° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 105.2° | — | 254.8° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 74.9° | — | 285.1° | — | |
| Deneb | 52.0° | — | 308.0° | — | |
| Capella | 59.9° | — | 300.1° | — | |
| Castor | 61.9° | — | 298.1° | — | |
| Pollux | 64.3° | — | 295.7° | — | |
| Procyon | 85.2° | — | 274.8° | — | |
| Betelgeuse | 95.0° | — | 265.0° | — | |
| Rigel | 113.8° | — | 246.2° | — | |
| Bellatrix | 98.6° | — | 261.4° | — | |
| Achernar | — | — | — | — | |
| Acrux | 132.0° | — | 228.0° | — | |
| Mimosa | 128.0° | — | 232.0° | — | |
| Altair | 81.2° | — | 278.8° | — | |
| Kochab | — | — | — | — | |
| Dubhe | 11.6° | — | 348.4° | — | |
| Alkaid | 7.8° | — | 352.2° | — | |
| Mizar | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamal | 90.2° | — | 269.8° | — | |
| Zubenelgenubi | 82.5° | — | 277.5° | — | |
| Alnitak | 105.4° | — | 254.6° | — | |
| Mintaka | 104.6° | — | 255.4° | — | |
| Saiph | 112.2° | — | 247.8° | — | |
| Peacock | 145.1° | — | 214.9° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | 147.2° | — | 212.8° | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 130.1° | — | 229.9° | — | |
| Hadar | 128.1° | — | 231.9° | — | |
| Gacrux | 125.4° | — | 234.6° | — | |
| Naos | 126.8° | — | 233.2° | — | |
| Suhail | 123.9° | — | 236.1° | — | |
| Avior | 142.4° | — | 217.6° | — | |
| Atria | 140.8° | — | 219.2° | — | |
| Regor | 132.9° | — | 227.1° | — | |
| Alsephina | 136.2° | — | 223.8° | — | |
| Shaula | 112.1° | — | 247.9° | — | |
| Ankaa | 156.8° | — | 203.2° | — | |
| Menkent | 102.4° | — | 257.6° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 82.0° | — | 278.0° | — | |
| Eltanin | 29.4° | — | 330.6° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 49.4° | — | 310.6° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 63.4° | — | 296.6° | — | |
| Denebola | 54.1° | — | 305.9° | — | |
| Alhena | 82.3° | — | 277.7° | — | |
| Alphard | 89.0° | — | 271.0° | — | |
| Bharani | 93.0° | — | 267.0° | — | |
| Pushya | 67.5° | — | 292.5° | — | |
| Adhara | 123.4° | — | 236.6° | — | |
| Wezen | 119.9° | — | 240.1° | — | |
| Navi | 51.0° | — | 308.9° | — | |
| Schedar | 55.0° | — | 305.0° | — | |
| Nunki | 108.6° | — | 251.4° | — | |
| Canopus | 148.6° | — | 211.4° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 113.4° | — | 246.6° | — | |
| Sabik | 89.5° | — | 270.5° | — | |
| Scheat | 79.9° | — | 280.1° | — | |
| Enif | 91.4° | — | 268.6° | — | |
| Diphda | 132.1° | — | 227.9° | — | |
| Alphecca | 39.9° | — | 320.1° | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 60.2° | — | 299.8° | — | |
| Spica | 77.1° | — | 282.9° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 76.5° | — | 283.5° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 61.6° | — | 298.4° | — | |
| Murzim | 116.8° | — | 243.3° | — | |
| Phact | 136.5° | — | 223.5° | — | |
| Mirfak | 61.7° | — | 298.3° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 54.6° | — | 305.4° | — | |
| Markab | 92.6° | — | 267.4° | — | |
| Algol | 71.3° | — | 288.7° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 103.2° | — | 256.8° | — | |
| Sadalsuud | 105.0° | — | 255.0° | — | |
| Sun (Summer Solstice) | 65.7° | — | 294.3° | — | |
| Sun (Winter Solstice) | 114.3° | — | 245.7° | — | |
| Sun (Equinox) | 90.0° | — | 270.0° | — | |
| Sun (Northern Cross-Quarter) | 72.9° | — | 287.1° | — | |
| Sun (Southern Cross-Quarter) | 107.1° | — | 252.9° | — | |
| Moon (N Major Standstill) | 60.2° | — | 299.8° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 119.8° | — | 240.2° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 70.6° | — | 289.4° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 109.4° | — | 250.6° | — |
Convergence Events (1)
49.6°
Vega Rise
Japanese (Orihime/Tanabata), Chinese (Weaver Girl), pole star ~12000 BCE
Δ 1.0°
Related Sites — vega