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Loughcrew Equinox - 22nd September 2011

On Carnbane East at Loughcrew, Cairn T is aligned with the rising sun at the equinoxes, when light enters the chamber and illuminates the carvings within. The photographs below record the autumn equinox on 22nd September 2011, from misty first light to a golden beam on the backstone.

First sun of equinox 2011 rising over misty Boyne Valley hills, orange disc beneath a diagonal cloud bank A misty sunrise at Loughcrew Cairn T - 7:18am

Staff from the OPW (Office of Public Works) were at Cairn T, Loughcrew on three mornings around the Autumn Equinox. On two of the three mornings there was a good sunrise rewarding those who made the effort to get up early. Clare and Leontia arranged an orderly queue both sides of the entrance and allowed groups of 5 or 6 to enter to view the illumination of the backstone inside the chamber of Cairn T.

Crowd gathered at Loughcrew Cairn T at dawn, people lining the grassy slope before the gated entrance Waiting for the rising sun to break through the misty cloud at Loughcrew Cairn T - 7:19am
Equinox sunrise over rolling green hills in the Boyne Valley, bright sun centred in a hazy golden sky The sun getting brighter at Loughcrew Cairn T - 7:23am
Rising equinox sun shining into Cairn T at Loughcrew, crowd gathered before the gated mound entrance The shadow of the photographer showing the rising sun shining directly into Cairn T - 7:39am
Equinox sunlight on Cairn T backstone illuminating eight-petalled sun wheel, ladder marks and zigzag orthostat Sun Illuminating the Backstone in Loughcrew Cairn T at 7:42am on September 22nd 2011
Golden sunrise over misty hills at Loughcrew equinox 2011, bright sun low in a warm hazy sky A wonderful sunrise for the Equinox Illumination of the chamber at Cairn T - 7:53am
Sunrise at Loughcrew silhouetting multiple grass-covered cairns on rolling hills against a golden horizon The rising sun at Cairn T on Cairnbane East viewed from Cairnbane West - Photo by Martin Byrne.

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.

Video of the sunbeam on the backstone inside Cairn T at Loughcrew at sunrise, March 23rd 2005
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.

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