Loughcrew Equinox - 22nd September 2011

A misty sunrise at Loughcrew Cairn T
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 the backstone inside the chamber of Cairn T.

Waiting for the rising sun at Loughcrew Cairn T
Waiting for the rising sun to break through the misty cloud at Loughcrew Cairn T - 7:19am

The sun getting brighter at Loughcrew Cairn T
The sun getting brighter at Loughcrew Cairn T - 7:23am

The rising sun shining directly into Cairn T
The shadow of the photographer showing the rising sun shining directly into Cairn T - 7:39am

Sun Illuminating the Backstone in Cairn T
Sun Illuminating the Backstone in Loughcrew Cairn T at 7:42am on September 22nd 2011

A wonderful sunrise for the Equinox
A wonderful sunrise for the Equinox Illumination of the chamber at Cairn T - 7:53am

Loughcrew
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

Sunbeam - March 2005
Still photograph from the 2005 Spring Equinox

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