Ancient Egyptian Astronomy

Astronomically Oriented Temples and Pyramids built by Egyptians

The center of the Egyptian civilization was the Nile River, which flooded at the same time every year. By observing the stars, the Egyptian astronomers were able to predict the annual flooding. The horizon was extremely important to the Egyptians, since it was here that the Sun appeared and disappeared daily.

They produced diagonal star tables or diagonal star clocks and used these to found or rebuild temples by determining the north axis using this apparatus. The great Egyptian buildings were built with an astronomical orientation; the Great Pyramid is aligned with the cardinal points, and many temples are aligned along the axis of the rising midwinter sun, signifying that