The solar alignment on Ramses II’s statue at Abu Simbel Temple took place Saturday morning, a biannual phenomenon occurring on October 22 (his birth anniversary) and February 22 (his coronation day). The event, which started at 6:20 AM and lasted 20 minutes, saw sunlight illuminating three statues inside the temple’s sanctum—Ramses II, Amun-Re, and Re-Hur-Akhty—while Ptah, the God of Darkness, remained in shadow. Celebrations began the night before, featuring traditional folklore performances that continued until sunrise. The 33-meter-tall temple, carved into a sandstone mountain near Nubia and Upper Egypt, was dedicated to Amen-Re and Re-Horakhte, further emphasizing its solar significance.
Source: Egypt Today
