MadSci Network: Astronomy
Query:

Re: giza pyramid-where does it point to in the sky,at the the time of completio

Date: Fri May 12 14:40:41 2000
Posted By: James Steele Foerch, Instructor, Pine Creative Arts Academy
Area of science: Astronomy
ID: 955927414.As
Message:

Dear rc11,
Using an atlas to find the latitude and longitude of Giza and planetarium software, Skychart III, to image the sky in 1450 BCE, we find that in May the pyramid pointed to the constellation Pegasus; in June at Andromeda; in July at Perseus; in August towards Auriga; in September at Gemini; in November at Leo; in December at Virgo's head; in January at the star 110 Virgo; in February at Ophiuchus; in March at Vulpecula and in April at Cygnus. (See the Stars and Constellations Web site for more details on these constellations.)

That next May, 1449 BCE, the same progression began again, slightly offset by the precession of Earth's axis. Here's your assignment:

  1. Ask your local librarian for an astronomy book that explains precession.

  2. Search the web for shareware planetarium programs like Skychart III or Distant Suns. Do send your $$$ to the writer!

  3. Examine the constellations at the zenith at 14:08:21 local time at Giza this coming year. You'll find some dramatic changes since the pyramids were built.

Do these observations have any meaning in the context of ancient Egyptian society or for our modern times? That question is for each one of us to explore ourselves as we search for meaning in the cosmos. [Of course, we must be careful not to assign to the ancient Egyptians motives that they did not have, but we wish they had. Moderator.]

Good luck to you!
Jim Foerch
Veen Observatory
Lowell, Michigan, USA


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