Sun-tastic! Tourists flock to see solar phenomenon at Egypt’s Karnak temples

More than a thousand Egyptian and foreign visitors witnessed the Karnak temples solar alignment. This occurs on December 21 of each year. The visitors witnessed the unique phenomenon in person, at Karnak temples, in Luxor, early morning. (Twitter/@TourismandAntiq)

• Perpendicular sunrise happens annually at historic site every Dec. 21
• Event evidence of ancient Egyptians’ deep understanding of astronomy, expert says

CAIRO: More than 1,000 Egyptian and foreign tourists gathered at the Karnak Temple Complex near Luxor on Wednesday to witness a spectacular natural phenomenon, as the sun rose perpendicularly over the ancient site.
Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the sun appeared over the axis of the temples at exactly 6:31 a.m., with its rays passing from the eastern gate, through the Holy of Holies to the main gate.
Karnak Antiquities organized the event so that the huge crowds of visitors could enjoy the phenomenon in an orderly manner, he added.
Fathi Yassin, director-general of Upper Egypt Antiquities, said the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics provided small astronomical telescopes for visitors to better follow the event, which was accompanied by performances of folk music and dancing.
Mustafa Al-Saghir, director-general of Karnak Antiquities, said the event, which happens annually on Dec. 21 and marks the start of winter, was evidence of the ancient Egyptians’ deep understanding of the relationship between astronomy and architecture.
The French-Egyptian Center for the Study of the Temples of Karnak was the first to record the solar alignment.
Construction of Karnak, which is dedicated to the god Amun, his wife Mut and son Khonsu, began around 2000 B.C. during the Middle Kingdom period. A new temple was built on the site during the era of the New Kingdom — to which King Tutankhamun and King Ramses II belonged — with each ruler adding to it as a show of their closeness to the gods and desire for immortality, and to impress their people.
The site is now a museum to the rich history of the ancient Egyptians.
The solar phenomenon at Karnak came two months after nearly 4,000 people gathered on Oct. 22 to witness the sun being perpendicular to the face of Ramses II in his great temple, the Holy of Holies, at Abu Simbel in southern Egypt.
After rising behind the waters of Lake Nasser, the sun’s rays shone through a passage between four giant statues of the pharaoh. The event, which lasted about 20 minutes, happens twice a year at the site, on Oct. 22 and Feb. 22.
The Egyptian State Information Service said that the perpendicular sun phenomenon also happened every Dec. 21 at Deir El-Bahari and Qasr Qarun in Fayoum, southwest of Cairo.