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Newgrange - Winter Solstice
 Above
the entrance to the passage at Newgrange there is an opening called a roof-box.
Its purpose is to allow sunlight to penetrate the passage and chamber at sunrise
around the Winter Solstice. At 8:58am a narrow beam of light penetrates the roof-box
and reaches the floor of the chamber, gradually extending to the rear of the passage.
As the sun rises higher, the beam widens within the chamber so that the whole room
becomes dramatically illuminated. After 17 minutes the sunbeam leaves the chamber
and retreats back down the passage.
All are welcome to gather at Newgrange for the sunrise on the
mornings around the Solstice (December 18th to December 23rd). Access to the
chamber on the Solstice mornings is decided by
lottery. The draw for Solstice 2010 will take place on
September 24th 2010. The successful people will be notified by mid October. Fifty names
are drawn, and each of the lucky winners can bring a guest, there are ten
lottery winners and their guests in the chamber on each of the mornings around
the Winter Solstice.
When Newgrange was built over 5000 years ago, the winter solstice sunbeam would have
made its way to the back recess of the central chamber. Due to changes in the tilt
of the Earth's axis the sunbeam now stops 2 metres from the back recess.
Winter Solstice Dates
Solstice literally means 'Sun Stands Still', for a few days around the time of the winter solstice the sun appears
to stand still in the sky in that its elevation at noon does not seem to change.
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Newgrange Winter Solstice 2006
Images from
the morning of the 21st December 2006. Joe & Clare won tickets in
the winter solstice lottery
for December 22nd, they were very fortunate to experience a glorious
sunrise in the chamber at Newgrange.
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Newgrange Winter Solstice
2004
Images from
the actual morning of the winter solstice - 21st December 2004.
This image photographed from inside the chamber by
Alan Betson was printed in the Irish Times newspaper on the 22nd December 2004.
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Newgrange Winter Solstice
2004
Beautiful
sunrise at Newgrange on the 19th December 2004.
Sun light in the passage at Newgrange viewed from the entrance.
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Newgrange Winter Solstice 2003
The Winter Solstice sunrise illuminates the passage way leading into the burial
chamber of the megalithic passage tomb at Newgrange on the 21st December
2003. This wonderful photograph by
Alan Betson was printed on the
front page of The Irish Times newspaper
on the 22nd December 2003. |
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Newgrange
Winter Solstice 2002
Images
from the Winter Solstice at Newgrange on the 22nd December 2002. A rainbow
heightened the experience of those on the outside, as the fortunate few on
the inside, selected by lottery experienced the illumination of the passage
and chamber. |
Newgrange
Winter Solstice 2001
Solstice sunrise lets lucky few gaze through window to an ancient world.
Light at the end of the tunnel: the sun makes its way into the main chamber
at Newgrange during the winter solstice, photography by Frank McGrath. |
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Private Tour with pick up and return to your accommodation.
Newgrange World Heritage site, the 10th century High Crosses at Monasterboice,
Hill of Tara the seat of the High Kings, Bective Abbey and Trim Castle
the largest Norman castle in Ireland
More ...
