The Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan is the third-largest pyramid on Earth by volume, with a base of 225 meters per side and a height of 66 meters — rivaling the Great Pyramid of Giza in footprint. Built around 100 CE over a natural cave system (discovered in 1971), the pyramid was originally covered in bright red plaster and topped by a wooden temple. Its orientation is aligned 15.5° east of true north — matching the setting point of the Pleiades when the pyramid was constructed. A sheet of mica (sourced from Brazil, 3,000 km away) was found embedded within the structure, suggesting the builders valued its piezoelectric and thermal-insulating properties. At Giza bearing 45.25° and 12,324 km from the Pyramid Plateau, Teotihuacan was the sixth-largest city in the world at its peak (c. 450 CE) with 125,000-200,000 inhabitants. The pyramid sits on the Street of the Dead axis, which itself encodes the orbital distances of the inner solar system.
| Star ▴ | Rise Az ▴ | Rise Δ ▴ | Set Az ▴ | Set Δ ▴ | Tradition ▴ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleiades (Alcyone) | 87.1° | — | 272.9° | — | |
| Orion's Belt (Alnilam) | 105.5° | — | 254.5° | — | |
| Sirius | 112.1° | — | 247.9° | — | |
| Thuban | — | — | — | — | |
| Vega | 44.0° | — | 316.1° | — | |
| Regulus | 64.4° | — | 295.6° | — | |
| Aldebaran | 92.0° | — | 268.0° | — | |
| Antares | 97.5° | — | 262.5° | — | |
| Fomalhaut | 137.8° | — | 222.2° | — | |
| Arcturus | 41.0° | — | 319.0° | — | |
| Galactic Center (Sgr A*) | 105.6° | — | 254.4° | — | |
| Galactic Anti-Center | 74.5° | — | 285.5° | — | |
| Deneb | 50.8° | — | 309.2° | — | |
| Capella | 59.0° | — | 301.0° | — | |
| Castor | 61.1° | — | 298.9° | — | |
| Pollux | 63.6° | — | 296.4° | — | |
| Procyon | 85.1° | — | 274.9° | — | |
| Betelgeuse | 95.2° | — | 264.9° | — | |
| Rigel | 114.5° | — | 245.5° | — | |
| Bellatrix | 98.8° | — | 261.2° | — | |
| Achernar | — | — | — | — | |
| Acrux | 133.4° | — | 226.6° | — | |
| Mimosa | 129.2° | — | 230.8° | — | |
| Altair | 81.0° | — | 279.0° | — | |
| Kochab | — | — | — | — | |
| Dubhe | — | — | — | — | |
| Alkaid | — | — | — | — | |
| Mizar | — | — | — | — | |
| Hamal | 90.2° | — | 269.8° | — | |
| Zubenelgenubi | 82.3° | — | 277.7° | — | |
| Alnitak | 105.8° | — | 254.2° | — | |
| Mintaka | 104.9° | — | 255.1° | — | |
| Saiph | 112.8° | — | 247.2° | — | |
| Peacock | 147.3° | — | 212.7° | — | |
| Miaplacidus | 149.6° | — | 210.4° | — | |
| Rigil Kentaurus | 131.4° | — | 228.6° | — | |
| Hadar | 129.2° | — | 230.8° | — | |
| Gacrux | 126.5° | — | 233.6° | — | |
| Naos | 127.9° | — | 232.1° | — | |
| Suhail | 124.9° | — | 235.1° | — | |
| Avior | 144.3° | — | 215.7° | — | |
| Atria | 142.6° | — | 217.4° | — | |
| Regor | 134.3° | — | 225.7° | — | |
| Alsephina | 137.8° | — | 222.2° | — | |
| Shaula | 112.7° | — | 247.3° | — | |
| Ankaa | 160.5° | — | 199.5° | — | |
| Menkent | 102.7° | — | 257.3° | — | |
| Alpheratz | 81.8° | — | 278.2° | — | |
| Eltanin | 26.6° | — | 333.4° | — | |
| Kornephoros | 48.1° | — | 311.9° | — | |
| Rasalhague | 62.7° | — | 297.3° | — | |
| Denebola | 53.0° | — | 307.0° | — | |
| Alhena | 82.1° | — | 277.9° | — | |
| Alphard | 89.0° | — | 271.0° | — | |
| Bharani | 93.1° | — | 266.9° | — | |
| Pushya | 66.9° | — | 293.1° | — | |
| Adhara | 124.4° | — | 235.6° | — | |
| Wezen | 120.8° | — | 239.2° | — | |
| Navi | 49.8° | — | 310.2° | — | |
| Schedar | 54.0° | — | 306.0° | — | |
| Nunki | 109.1° | — | 250.9° | — | |
| Canopus | 151.1° | — | 208.9° | — | |
| Kaus Australis | 114.1° | — | 245.9° | — | |
| Sabik | 89.5° | — | 270.5° | — | |
| Scheat | 79.7° | — | 280.4° | — | |
| Enif | 91.4° | — | 268.6° | — | |
| Diphda | 133.4° | — | 226.6° | — | |
| Alphecca | 38.1° | — | 321.9° | — | |
| Rasalgethi | 59.3° | — | 300.7° | — | |
| Spica | 76.7° | — | 283.3° | — | |
| Zubeneschamali | 76.2° | — | 283.8° | — | |
| Unukalhai | 60.8° | — | 299.2° | — | |
| Murzim | 117.5° | — | 242.5° | — | |
| Phact | 138.1° | — | 221.9° | — | |
| Mirfak | 60.9° | — | 299.1° | — | |
| Vindemiatrix | 53.5° | — | 306.5° | — | |
| Markab | 92.7° | — | 267.3° | — | |
| Algol | 70.8° | — | 289.2° | — | |
| Sadalmelik | 103.6° | — | 256.4° | — | |
| Sadalsuud | 105.4° | — | 254.6° | — | |
| Sun (Summer Solstice) | 65.0° | — | 295.0° | — | |
| Sun (Winter Solstice) | 115.0° | — | 245.0° | — | |
| Sun (Equinox) | 90.0° | — | 270.0° | — | |
| Sun (Northern Cross-Quarter) | 72.4° | — | 287.6° | — | |
| Sun (Southern Cross-Quarter) | 107.6° | — | 252.4° | — | |
| Moon (N Major Standstill) | 59.3° | — | 300.7° | — | |
| Moon (S Major Standstill) | 120.7° | — | 239.3° | — | |
| Moon (N Minor Standstill) | 70.1° | — | 289.9° | — | |
| Moon (S Minor Standstill) | 109.9° | — | 250.1° | — |
| Landmark | Bearing | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| giza | 45.25° | 12,324 km |
| angkor wat | 324.20° | 15,573 km |
| nazca | 143.97° | 4,632 km |
| teotihuacan | 0.00° | 0 km |
| stonehenge | 39.33° | 8,787 km |
| gobekli tepe | 34.87° | 12,294 km |
| machu picchu | 139.69° | 4,651 km |
| easter island | 192.64° | 5,326 km |
| cahokia | 19.97° | 2,272 km |
| sedona | 325.69° | 2,112 km |
| mecca | 46.69° | 13,605 km |
| jerusalem | 41.32° | 12,486 km |
| vatican | 43.93° | 10,195 km |
| lhasa | 348.73° | 14,425 km |
| kailash | 359.83° | 14,371 km |
| uluru | 253.34° | 14,881 km |
| tiwanaku | 138.66° | 5,207 km |
| chaco canyon | 335.82° | 2,026 km |
| mt shasta | 322.47° | 3,270 km |
| levis stadium | 316.23° | 2,981 km |