Operation Equinox 2024

            The transcontinental astronomical mission that took place on 20 - 21 March 2024 was a proof that "Equinox" is a global phenomenon that is celebrated and observed by people all around the world, it marks the changing of the seasons and has cultural and spiritual significance in many different societies.

 

 

 

An equinox is an event in which a planet's subsolar point passes through its Equator. The equinoxes are the only time when both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres experience roughly equal amounts of daytime and nighttime

 

Equinox's mission is conducted by colleagues in three countries: Thailand, Cambodia, and the USA 

 

           The Mission Team Members

           1. Mr Attapon Kamsri call sign "Nok Phupek" ...... Prasat Phupek

           2. Mr Woravit Tongsiri call sign "Ruesi Ake Ammatar" ...... Megalithic Gate of Equinox

           3. Mr Nipon Wongkalsin ....... The 12 zodiacs Solar Calendar Nong Han Lake

          4. Mr Oeur Sopheap, call sign "Preah Vihear" ....... Preah Vihear Temple Cambodia 

          5. MS Prapaporn Matda, call sign "Guide Nok" ........ Angkor Wat Temple Cambodia

         6. Mr Sansonthi Boonyothayan, call sign "Pipob Wittaya" ........ Ankeny City, Iowa USA 

 

         Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand 

           1.Prasat Phupek (an ancient Khom temple) situated on the mountaintop at elevation of 520 m above sea level at Na Hao Bor Subdistrict, Phanna Nikom District.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          2. Megalithic Gate of Equinox

          It is a natural cave ocurred by geological process called rock formation and fortunately it aligned at exact direction E - W , situated on elvation of 360 m above sea level at Ban Huy Yang, Laoponkor subdistrict, Koksi Supan District.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          3. The 12 zodiacs Solar Calendar at Don Lanka next to the Nong Han Lake, this is a man-made structure to display sunrise and sunset according to the astronomical and astrological events.

 

 

 

 

 

            Cambodia, Preah Vihear and Angkor Wat

 

           4. Preah Vihear Temple, Cambodia, this temple is situated on the Dong Lek Mountain built during the reign of King Suryavarman I around AD 1006 - 1050. The temple is aligned exactly at the 4 cardinals North - South and East - West.

 

 

 

Mr Oeur Sopheap is a professional cambodian tour guide who had taken an excellent care of the thai team during our visit 17 - 19 Feb 2024, we become good friend since then

  

Guide Sopheap is explaining floorplan of the temple

 

Preah Vihear Temple is aligned to the four cardinals N - S and E - W 

 

 

Sunrise and sunset at the central sanctuary of Preah Vihear Temple 

 

 

 

 

The East and West Baray of Preah Vihear are also aligned to the four cardinals 

 

          5. Angkor Wat Temple Cambodia

          This temple is aligned to the four cardinals but surprisingly facing the west, so it is a good opportunity that tourists can observe rising sun from the walkway entrance. But ...... hang on ..... there is an astronomical trick that might disappointed the tourists who visited on 20 - 21 March.    

 

 

Tourists can see the equinox rising sun from the western walkway entrance

   

Unfortunately Angkor War Temple is a large and tall building so equinox sunrise is hiding behind the temple, it takes sometime to rise at the top of the main prang. Since the temple is located at latitude 13 N so the sun is ascending at 13 degree tilted.

    

This is an astronomical trick, photo of sunrise at the main prang is usually taken from the ground level, that is the reason why it appears somewhat tilted to southside due to geometrical rules 

 

 

This is what the tourists wanted to see 

 

You have to comeback three days later on 23rd March to see sunrise exactly at the top center of the main prang

 

           United States of America

            6. Ankeny City Iowa USA 

            Ankeny is a new place there is no man-made archaeological and astronomical structures like Thailand and Cambodia, but luckily the city layout and roads are aligned to four cardinals N - S and E - W.

 

 

 

 

 

 sundial at solar noon on 21st March 2024 (spring equinox) showing an angle of incidence = latitude of Ankeny City 41.7 N 

 

Theory of Pythagoras shows that the angle of incidence at solar noon on equinox is equal to the local latitude  

 

Thank You for your interest

sansonthi@gmail.com