Loughcrew Spring Equinox 2005

Sunrise at Loughcrew
Sunrise at Loughcrew, 6:25am March 23rd 2005

Due to adverse weather conditions on the 20th, 21st and 22nd of March there was no spring equinox sunrise to illuminate the chamber of Cairn T. The sunrise on the March 23rd looked like it might be hampered by mist, thankfully it turned out to be a perfect sunrise to illuminate the backstone of the chamber in Cairn T.

Loughcrew Equinox March 2005
6:30am - The sunbeam in the chamber of Cairn T before it reaches the backstone.

Loughcrew backstone
6:40am - The sunbeam creeps onto the backstone of Cairn T.

Equinox March 2005
6:50am - The sunbeam moves across the backstone. The dark patch at the bottom left of the image is a shadow from part of the iron gate surround at the entrance to the cairn.

Equinox Sunbeam
6:53am - the most impressive stage of the illumination on the backstone.

Sunbeam - March 2005
6:58am - the sunbeam moves across and down on the backstone.

Loughcrew Equinox
7:06am - the sunbeam continues its journey across and down the backstone

Sun Equinox
7:12am - beam of equinox sunlight illuminating the bottom right corner of the backstone.

Sun - Loughcrew Mar.05
7:19am - the sunbeam near its lowest point on the backstone.

Illuminaton - March 2005
7:23am - the sunbeam just before it moves off the backstone.


Light Years Ago by Tim O'Brien 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 March 23rd 2005. The 50 minute video has been compressed to 1 minute 46 seconds and included in the following YouTube Video.

Gossan Stones Equinox Sunrise Alignment

Gossan Equinox Sunrise Alignment
The Equinox Sunrise is framed by the Gossan Stones in the Wicklow Mountains.

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