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Loughcrew Autumn Equinox 2005

On 20 September 2005 the autumn equinox sunrise illuminated the chamber of Loughcrew Cairn T. These photographs by Ken Williams of ShadowsandStone.com follow the sunbeam as it moves down the carved backstone.

Equinox sunrise glowing orange behind silhouetted stones at Loughcrew Cairn V, photo by Ken Williams. Sunrise at Loughcrew Cairn V, 7:20am on 20 September 2005. Photo by Ken Williams.
Golden equinox sunbeam lighting the carved backstone inside the dark chamber of Cairn T, photo by Ken Williams. 7:31am: autumn equinox sunbeam illuminates the backstone of Cairn T. Photo by Ken Williams.
Close view of sunburst and zigzag carvings on the Cairn T backstone lit by equinox light, photo by Ken Williams. 7:33am: the backstone of Cairn T. Photo by Ken Williams.
Circular patch of sunlight lower on the densely carved Cairn T backstone, photo by Ken Williams. 7:56am: as the sun rises, the beam of light moves down the stone. Photo by Ken Williams.
Last of the equinox sunbeam on mossy chamber stones and the upper left of the Cairn T backstone, photo by Ken Williams. 8:03am: the last of the sunbeam on the backstone (top left of the image). Photo by Ken Williams.
Warm light filling the Cairn T chamber with the decorated backstone facing the camera, photo by Ken Williams. 8:17am: in the chamber of Loughcrew Cairn T. Photo by Ken Williams.

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 50 minute video has been compressed to 1 minute 46 seconds and included in the following YouTube video.

Spring Equinox sunrise at Loughcrew Cairn T, March 2005.

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.

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