Phnom Bakheng is the "First Angkor" — the central state temple of Yasodharapura, the first true Angkor capital, built by Yasovarman I around 907 CE atop a natural 65-meter hill. Originally 109 towers encoded calendrical symbolism: the number of towers visible from any cardinal point equals 33, the number of gods in Trayastrimsa heaven. Five towers in quincunx crown the summit. Now the most popular sunset viewing location at Angkor, though the crowds belie its original function as a cosmic axis connecting earth, atmosphere, and heaven. At 297.27° Giza bearing, Phnom Bakheng set the template for all Angkorian sacred geometry that followed.
Stellar Alignments (89 stars)
| Star ▴ | Rise Az ▴ | Rise Δ ▴ | Set Az ▴ | Set Δ ▴ | Tradition ▴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleiades (Alcyone) | 87.2° | — | 272.9° | — | |
| Orion's Belt (Alnilam) | 105.0° | — | 255.0° | — | |
| Sirius | 111.4° | — | 248.6° | — | |
| Thuban | — | — | — | — | |
| Vega | 45.8° | — | 314.2° | — | |
| Regulus | 65.3° | — | 294.7° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 92.0° | — | 268.0° | — | |
| Antares | 97.3° | — | 262.8° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 135.8° | — | 224.2° | — | |
| Arcturus | 43.0° | — | 316.9° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 105.1° | — | 254.9° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 75.0° | — | 285.0° | — | |
| Deneb | 52.3° | — | 307.7° | — | |
| Capella | 60.1° | — | 299.9° | — | |
| Castor | 62.1° | — | 297.9° | — | |
| Pollux | 64.5° | — | 295.5° | — | |
| Procyon | 85.3° | — | 274.7° | — | |
| Betelgeuse | 95.0° | — | 265.0° | — | |
| Rigel | 113.6° | — | 246.4° | — | |
| Bellatrix | 98.5° | — | 261.4° | — | |
| Achernar | — | — | — | — | |
| Acrux | 131.7° | — | 228.3° | — | |
| Mimosa | 127.7° | — | 232.3° | — | |
| Altair | 81.3° | — | 278.8° | — | |
| Kochab | — | — | — | — | |
| Dubhe | 13.4° | — | 346.6° | — | |
| Alkaid | 10.3° | — | 349.7° | — | |
| Mizar | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamal | 90.2° | — | 269.8° | — | |
| Zubenelgenubi | 82.6° | — | 277.4° | — | |
| Alnitak | 105.3° | — | 254.7° | — | |
| Mintaka | 104.5° | — | 255.6° | — | |
| Saiph | 112.1° | — | 247.9° | — | |
| Peacock | 144.5° | — | 215.5° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | 146.6° | — | 213.4° | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 129.8° | — | 230.2° | — | |
| Hadar | 127.7° | — | 232.3° | — | |
| Gacrux | 125.1° | — | 234.9° | — | |
| Naos | 126.5° | — | 233.5° | — | |
| Suhail | 123.6° | — | 236.4° | — | |
| Avior | 141.9° | — | 218.1° | — | |
| Atria | 140.3° | — | 219.7° | — | |
| Regor | 132.5° | — | 227.5° | — | |
| Alsephina | 135.8° | — | 224.2° | — | |
| Shaula | 111.9° | — | 248.1° | — | |
| Ankaa | 155.8° | — | 204.2° | — | |
| Menkent | 102.3° | — | 257.7° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 82.1° | — | 277.9° | — | |
| Eltanin | 30.1° | — | 329.9° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 49.7° | — | 310.3° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 63.6° | — | 296.4° | — | |
| Denebola | 54.4° | — | 305.6° | — | |
| Alhena | 82.4° | — | 277.6° | — | |
| Alphard | 89.0° | — | 271.0° | — | |
| Bharani | 93.0° | — | 267.0° | — | |
| Pushya | 67.7° | — | 292.3° | — | |
| Adhara | 123.1° | — | 236.9° | — | |
| Wezen | 119.7° | — | 240.3° | — | |
| Navi | 51.4° | — | 308.6° | — | |
| Schedar | 55.3° | — | 304.7° | — | |
| Nunki | 108.5° | — | 251.5° | — | |
| Canopus | 147.9° | — | 212.1° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 113.3° | — | 246.7° | — | |
| Sabik | 89.5° | — | 270.5° | — | |
| Scheat | 80.0° | — | 280.0° | — | |
| Enif | 91.4° | — | 268.6° | — | |
| Diphda | 131.7° | — | 228.3° | — | |
| Alphecca | 40.4° | — | 319.6° | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 60.4° | — | 299.6° | — | |
| Spica | 77.2° | — | 282.8° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 76.6° | — | 283.4° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 61.8° | — | 298.2° | — | |
| Murzim | 116.5° | — | 243.4° | — | |
| Phact | 136.1° | — | 223.9° | — | |
| Mirfak | 61.9° | — | 298.1° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 54.9° | — | 305.1° | — | |
| Markab | 92.6° | — | 267.4° | — | |
| Algol | 71.4° | — | 288.6° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 103.1° | — | 256.9° | — | |
| Sadalsuud | 104.9° | — | 255.1° | — | |
| Sun (Summer Solstice) | 65.9° | — | 294.1° | — | |
| Sun (Winter Solstice) | 114.1° | — | 245.9° | — | |
| Sun (Equinox) | 90.0° | — | 270.0° | — | |
| Sun (Northern Cross-Quarter) | 73.0° | — | 287.0° | — | |
| Sun (Southern Cross-Quarter) | 107.0° | — | 253.0° | — | |
| Moon (N Major Standstill) | 60.4° | — | 299.6° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 119.6° | — | 240.4° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 70.7° | — | 289.3° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 109.3° | — | 250.7° | — |
Convergence Events (6)
297.5°
Alphecca Set
Celtic (Caer Arianrhod), Arabic, Aboriginal, Pawnee (council ring)
Δ 0.3°
298.1°
Bharani (41 Arietis) Set
Hindu/Vedic (death/rebirth nakshatra), IAU named
Δ 0.8°
298.9°
Pollux Set
Greek (Dioscuri), Hindu (Punarvasu), Chinese, Arabic
Δ 1.6°
298.9°
Scheat Set
Hindu (Purva Bhadrapada), Arabic, Chinese, Persian
Δ 1.7°
294.8°
Pleiades (Alcyone) Set
Maya, Greek, Aboriginal, Hindu (Krittika), Japanese (Subaru)
Δ 2.5°
300.0°
Alpheratz Set
Chinese (Wall/Bi mansion), Arabic, Hindu
Δ 2.7°
Reference Bearings (20 landmarks)
| Landmark | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| giza | 297.27° | 7,619 km |
| angkor wat | 136.82° | 2 km |
| nazca | 220.10° | 19,824 km |
| teotihuacan | 34.46° | 15,573 km |
| stonehenge | 322.87° | 9,905 km |
| gobekli tepe | 305.27° | 6,901 km |
| machu picchu | 273.84° | 19,625 km |
| easter island | 119.02° | 16,248 km |
| cahokia | 13.48° | 14,046 km |
| sedona | 33.90° | 13,462 km |
| mecca | 287.30° | 6,808 km |
| jerusalem | 299.07° | 7,222 km |
| vatican | 311.31° | 9,130 km |
| lhasa | 326.04° | 2,231 km |
| kailash | 314.10° | 3,026 km |
| uluru | 145.60° | 5,221 km |
| tiwanaku | 245.61° | 19,141 km |
| chaco canyon | 30.21° | 13,578 km |
| mt shasta | 35.39° | 12,304 km |
| levis stadium | 38.38° | 12,612 km |
Related Sites — Giza / Orion Extraction