Loughcrew Spring Equinox 2004

At sunrise on 22 March 2004 the rising sun entered the passage of Loughcrew Cairn T and illuminated the carved backstone, an event that has been taking place in this man-made structure for about 5,000 years.

Grass-covered Loughcrew Cairn T under a clear sky, with a gated stone entrance and kerbstones along the base.

Loughcrew Cairn T at sunrise on 22 March 2004.

Equinox sunbeam on the Cairn T backstone at Loughcrew, lighting rayed sun motifs, zigzags and a ladder carving.

Shaped beam of equinox sunlight on the backstone, photographed inside Cairn T at 6:51am.

This image photographed inside Cairn T at 6:51am shows the shaped beam of equinox sunlight illuminating the back stone. Over a period of about 30 minutes the beam moves to the bottom right corner of the backstone.

Close view of a flower-like sun carving on the Cairn T backstone, edged by a narrow vertical beam of equinox light.

Equinox sunbeam at 7:15am on the lower part of the backstone.

This image photographed at 7:15am shows the beam of equinox sunlight illuminating the bottom right corner of the backstone.

Chamber of Cairn T at Loughcrew with the last of the equinox sunbeam on mossy side stones and a carved orthostat at left.

Chamber at 7:18am, with the last of the sunbeam leaving the backstone.

This image photographed at 7:18am shows the last of the sunbeam on the backstone. The stones to the right of the back recess are now illuminated. There is a sun symbol at the bottom of the stone in the centre of the image.

View from inside Cairn T looking out through the gated passage to a brilliant equinox sunrise.

The equinox sunrise at Cairn T viewed from inside the chamber.

Book cover: Light Years Ago by Tim O'Brien, with a golden flower-like sun carving on dark stone. Light Years Ago: A Study of the Cairns of Newgrange and Cairn T Loughcrew, Co. Meath, Ireland by Tim O'Brien shows that the symbols of the sun engraved on the backstone of Cairn T at Loughcrew are precisely positioned to measure solar movement. A beam of light from the rising sun around the time of the March and September equinoxes is mapped on the backstone.

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Loughcrew Video: Spring Equinox 2005

The progress of the sunbeam on the backstone inside Cairn T at Loughcrew was video recorded at sunrise on the morning of 23 March 2005.

The original 50 minute video has been compressed to 1 minute 46 seconds.

Gossan Stones Equinox Sunrise Alignment

Equinox sunrise framed between two standing stones at the Gossan Stones in the Wicklow Mountains.

The equinox sunrise is framed by the Gossan Stones in the Wicklow Mountains.

Tall view of equinox sunlight illuminating sun symbols, zigzags and ladder motifs on the Cairn T backstone at Loughcrew.

Equinox sunlight on the backstone in Cairn T.

Loughcrew Equinox Archive

See also the main Loughcrew Equinox page and Boyne Valley Tours Equinox.

Experience the heritage and culture of the Boyne Valley on one of our private full-day tours. Visit Newgrange and Knowth part of the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site, walk the Hill of Slane where Saint Patrick is said to have lit the Paschal fire, and explore the Hill of Tara, the ceremonial seat of the High Kings of Ireland.

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