Newgrange

The solar alignment of the Neolithic passage tomb to face the rising sun on winter solstice is a significant astronomical finding of global importance. For the ...

Sunrise is at 8:58am— Samantha Libreri (@SamanthaLibreri) But will the sun illuminate the passage tomb this year? Inside Newgrange before the sun rises on the winter solstice— Samantha Libreri (@SamanthaLibreri)

What an amazing Winter Solstice sunrise experience this morning at Newgrange. Check out these amazing photos taken inside the chamber by one of our lucky ...

An astronomical phenomenon takes place within the 5,000-year-old chamber on this day each year. The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year. People all over the world are invited to tune into a livestream of the Winter Solstice at the passage tomb at Newgrange in Meath this morning.

People gathered at Newgrange in Co Meath on Wednesday to celebrate the winter solstice -- the astronomical phenomenon marking the shortest day and longest.

The event lasts for about 17 minutes and starts at approximately 9am. Its purpose is to allow sunlight to penetrate the chamber around December 21. It falls on or around December 21 in the Northern Hemisphere.

The event had been streamed since the Covid lockdown. Newgrange is more than 5 thousand years old and was built by stone age farmers, the passage and chamber ...

The weather will play a key part in the spectacle as the sun rises at 8:41 this morning. Alan O' Reilly from Carlow weather says those lucky enough to be at the site just may get a glimpse of the phenomenon.... For the first time in two years a lucky few will be able to witness the Winter Solstice at Newgrange when the sun rises this morning.

The sun made a brief but welcome appearance at Newgrange during the winter solstice this morning. Despite the biting cold wind there was a warm atmosphere ...

“I signed up for the lottery in 2020 and I was stunned when I got the email. "It was mostly just daylight at the beginning and then a little sliver of golden light. It's very primal and it's an ancestral thing to do so I think it's really important that we continue this beautiful tradition of celebration and coming together in community,” she added. There was something in the land here that has been calling me,” he said. From this point on, the sun will rise earlier and set later each day. “There was a beam of light.

A spectacular astrological phenomenon sees the tomb's burial chamber and passage-way illuminated by the rising sun on the shortest day of the year.

Wednesday marked a return for winners of the annual 'Solstice Lottery', operated by the Office of Public Works. [December 21, 2022] Due to Covid-19 restrictions, members of the public were not allowed to enter the tomb's chamber for the solstice in 2020 and 2021.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) welcomed lottery winners back into the ancient passage tomb chamber, which was partially illuminated by this morning's sunrise, ...

The phenomenon can last for up to 17 minutes. It is estimated that the structure was built around 5,200 years ago. However, the popular measure was scrapped this year, with OPW having described the streams as “exceptional”. For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can help keep paywalls away. More than 5,000 readers have already pitched in to keep free access to The Journal. Readers like you keep news free for everyone.

Thousands are drawn to Co Meath site for first public winter solstice event there since pandemic.

“The opportunity to be here was so just so special, to be here in a place that was designed so long ago for this specific purpose – the human ingenuity was incredible. “We saw the sun for a couple of minutes. “It was mostly just daylight at the beginning and then a little sliver of golden light. “I was born during the summer solstice in New Zealand so it was a bit of a double birthday celebration for me,” he said. It is in effect a double lottery as the weather invariably ruins the spectacle but not this year. Somebody or some people 5,200 years ago managed to track the exact passage of the sun and find where it came over the horizon on December 21st, and then aligned it with a small roofbox – all without clocks, sextants or measuring tapes.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) this morning, once again welcomed the lucky lottery winners to experience the significant Winter Solstice sunrise from ...

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice occurs on December 21 or 22, when the sun shines directly over the tropic of Capricorn. The solar alignment of the passage tomb at Newgrange to face the rising sun on winter solstice is a significant astronomical finding of global importance. Analysis of high-resolution imagery taken during last year’s research programme, now adds to the convincing body of evidence that the solar illumination of the tomb was intentional. Exceptionally for both years, the Office of Public Works organised the livestreaming of the Winter Solstice to compensate for the absence of the annual Lottery Draw. “I am delighted to welcome the lucky winners of the very popular OPW Solstice Lottery competition to Newgrange to witness first hand this archaeological phenomenon. Since 2000, the Office of Public Works has operated a Lottery Draw for a place in the chamber at Newgrange to witness the Winter Solstice each year on 21 December.

Built by Stone Age farmers around 3,200 BC, making it older than the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge, the monument is one of the country's most famous heritage ...

Visitors were not facilitated during the Covid-19 pandemic, meaning the public were welcomed back to the tomb for the first time in two years on Wednesday morning. Since 2000, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has operated a lottery draw for a place in the chamber at Newgrange to witness the winter solstice on December 21st. Members of the public gathered at Newgrange in Co Meath for the first time in two years to witness its winter solstice illumination.