Newgrange Solstice - 22nd December 2009

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice takes place either on the 21st or 22nd of December. At sunrise on these shortest days of the year, a remarkable man-made phenomenon unfolds at Newgrange, where, for a span of 17 minutes, sunlight dramatically bathes the chamber of this ancient monument.

Enjoy this chronological photographic essay of the Winter Solstice at Newgrange on 22nd December 2009.

A promising horizon viewed from the entrance to Newgrange
8:46am - A promising horizon viewed from the entrance to Newgrange over a standing stone

Solstice watchers waiting for the sun to rise
8:50am - Solstice watchers waiting for the sun to rise over Red Mountain

Newgrange - Sunrise viewed from the entrance
8:54am - Sunrise viewed from the entrance to Newgrange over a standing stone

Newgrange - Beam of light shining down the passage
8:56am - Beam of light shining through the roofbox, the sunbeam reaches the chamber at 8:58am

Newgrange White Quartz
8:59am - The white quartz glows in the sunlight


8:59am - The sunbeam is illuminating the chamber through the 19 meter passage


9:00am - Perfect conditions for the Solstice Lottery winners inside the Newgrange chamber

It's the sunbeam from the roofbox above the passage that reaches the chamber.
9:04am - It's the sunbeam from the roofbox above the passage that reaches the chamber

Magnificent glow from the winter sunrise at Newgrange
9:09am - Magnificent glow from the winter sunrise at Newgrange

Sunbeam from the Roofbox illuminates the chamber
9:10am - It's the higher sunbeam from the Roofbox that illuminates the chamber inside Newgrange

Roofbox over the entrance where the solstice sun is beamed to the chamber
9:12am - The Roofbox over the entrance where the solstice sun is beamed to the chamber

Winter Solstice
9:14am - A long shadow from a Standing Stone

Newgrange Solstice
9:17am - Waiting patiently for the Solstice Lottery winners to exit the chamber

Newgrange
9:32am - The sunbeam has left the chamber but is still in the passage. There is a 15 minute gap since the last photograph because I was inside the chamber with the group that had been waiting patiently at the entrance

Winter Solstice
9:36am - Just a few stragglers and staff at the Newgrange entrance

Newgrange
9:38am - Time to make way for the regular guided tours

Newgrange Robin
9:39am - A Robin at the Newgrange entrance

Standing Stone Shadow
9:41am - The shadow from the Standing Stone points to the Newgrange entrance

Newgrange Robin
9:43am - As we leave Newgrange the Robin poses for a final photo.

Setting Sun Alignments

The Winter Solstice Setting Sun illuminates the chamber at the nearby Dowth mound and at the cairn on Slieve Gullion in Co. Armagh.

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