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Newgrange Solstice - 18th December 2011

At Newgrange in the Boyne Valley, a beam of sunrise enters through the roof-box on mornings around the Winter Solstice, travels the 19-metre passage, and illuminates the inner chamber. The photographs below record that dawn on 18th December 2011, from first light through low cloud to a brilliant sunbeam reaching the chamber.

Great Circle orthostat silhouetted against the rising sun at Newgrange, two figures on the frosty horizon Sunrise at 8:51am
Winter solstice crowd waiting at the Newgrange entrance, white quartz facade, roofbox and standing orthostats 8:53am - The Solstice Lottery Winners are in the chamber waiting for the sunbeam to reach them
Newgrange entrance orthostats and roofbox with warm light glowing along the stone passage interior 8:54am - The sunbeam beginning to illuminate the passage
Kerbstone 1 with triple spirals at the Newgrange entrance below the roofbox lintel with lozenge carvings 8:55am - The Solstice Sunbeam in the passage
Silhouetted standing stone at Newgrange with the golden sun on the horizon behind distant hills 8:56am - Cloud on the horizon partially obscuring the sunrise
Newgrange roofbox and Kerbstone 1 with triple spiral carvings above the entrance passage. 8:57am - The sun breaking through the low cloud
Frost-covered grass, visitors at the Newgrange entrance, Kerbstone 1 spirals and Great Circle orthostats 9:00am - Sunbeam still not at full strength due to the low cloud
Frost at Newgrange on a clear morning, crowd before the white quartz entrance and kerbstones 9:01am - The sun finally breaks through the low cloud
Visitors at Newgrange at sunrise, Kerbstone 1 before the entrance, white quartz facade and kerbstones 9:03am - A brilliant sunrise
Newgrange entrance and roofbox, lintel carved with lozenges, orthostats L1 and R1 flanking the passage 9:04am - Perfect sunrise to illuminate the chamber which is at the end of a 19 metre passage
Golden winter solstice light along the Newgrange passage between large grey orthostats under stone lintels 9:06am - The sunbeam from the opening over the door travels all the way to the chamber
Newgrange at sunrise with white quartz facade, kerbstones, Kerbstone 1 spiral carvings and standing orthostats 9:09am - Perfect conditions for the Winter Solstice illumination at Newgrange
Close view of Newgrange white quartz and granite revetment wall above a row of large grey kerbstones 9:12am - Newgrange Quartz Wall
Three visitors descending wooden stairs beside the Newgrange white quartz and dark stone facade 9:17am - Solstice Lottery Winners emerge from the chamber
Newgrange passage viewed from the entrance gate, sunlight highlighting orthostats along the stone-lined corridor 9:37am - Sun light still in the passage

Newgrange Winter Solstice Archive

Newgrange roofbox above the entrance lintel, with lozenge carvings on the roofbox lintel stone.

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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