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The Spring Equinox happens on Sunday 20th March in 2022, but observations of the setting sun pouring through the west end port-hole are possible between 18th and 22nd, depending on the sun and sky at sunset. Even on a sunny evening, low cloud banks on the horizon can mess up the final moments. I took the video down because we never got around to editing it to be shorter, but its back up now at fil

St Lythans spring sunset at through the porthole

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Submitted bymorgannwg
AddedMar 12 2022
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Description
The Spring Equinox happens on Sunday 20th March in 2022, but observations of the setting sun pouring through the west end port-hole are possible between 18th and 22nd, depending on the sun and sky at sunset. Even on a sunny evening, low cloud banks on the horizon can mess up the final moments. I took the video down because we never got around to editing it to be shorter, but its back up now at filiast. com. This year, weather willing, we will try for a more succinct filming.
ArchAstro asks good questions. The Coflein entry (https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/227289/) gives info of limited excavations and suggest the mound was covered, and the possibility of a shaft begs all sorts of questions about usage and how it was experienced. I have a photo that shows how the light inside hits the stones themselves. One day, we'll go back and do a officially sanctioned equinox watch under a tarp to test out what it would have been like inside, waiting for that 12 seconds of connection with the horizon sunset.

Posted Comments:

Runemage (2022-03-12)
Thanks so much for this, fingers crossed for clear skies on 20th !
On your video you state it's thought some dolmens were originally covered and erosion has made what we see now differnt to theit original construction. Colin Richards and Vicky Cummins have pretty much blown that theory out of the water in their new book and video, feature article here https://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=6333377&mode=&order=0&thold=0&nocache=1#comments
AngieLake (2022-03-12)
Wow! That's interesting. Thanks for the photo and info. I always thought it was special because it seemed to form the open mouth of a human figure. Maybe this represented the chief of the tribe whose remains were buried or scattered here, or perhaps it was meant to resemble a deity. I thought it would have been covered by the mound at the back, but perhaps there was always space for the sunlight to shine through. They must have felt the Equinox was the most important time this would happen for some reason.
AngieLake (2024-02-13)
My May 2002 dowsing results if they're any help. I always wondered if one day there'd be an explanation for my findings: www.megalithic.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=a312&file=index&do=showpic&pid=85248&orderby=dateD

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