Archaeoastronomy

Equinox Observations at Atlatl Rock

Valley of Fire State Park, NV, USA

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The Atlatl Rock Site

Atlatl Rock is one of the many beautiful sites in the

Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada, USA. The state park is located about 90 km northeast of Las Vegas (55 miles; 1 hour drive on I 15 N, exit 75).

The petroglyphs of interest are on the left (south) side of a straight, smooth rock wall that is almost perfectly facing east with an offset of only about five degrees (azimuth 85 degrees). This archaeoastronomy site is outstanding as it is easily accessible: although the petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock important for this investigation are at an estimated height of about 20 meters above ground level, no climbing on rocks is necessary. Not even the 84 steps of the stairs leading to the observation platform have to be climbed, as the petroglyphs including the markers and the shadow are visible from the level of the parking lot.
The facilities of the State Park Visitor Center are not far away.

There are many more petroglyphs in the vicinity of Atlatl Rock which have been engraved mostly in rocks covered with deep black desert varnish. Atlatl Rock however is almost red!

These petroglyphs are estimated to be more than 4000 years old! Respect their antiquity. Help preserve them!
Do not climb on, touch or deface the rock.

Atlatl Rock Coordinates:

Google Maps			LatLong.net
Longitude	Latitude	Elevation	Longitude	Latitude	Elevation
114°33' 03.23" W	36°25' 25.39" N	686 m (2250 ft) (\|T19\|)	114°33' 02" W	36°25' 23" N	686 m (2250 ft) (\|T19\|)
-114.5509 deg (W)	36.4237 deg (N)		-114.5505 deg (W)	36.4231 deg (N)
7^h 38^m 12.2^s W			7^h 38^m 12.1^s W

Coordinates used in

NOAA Solar Calculator (|T07|): latitude 36.423019 deg (N) , longitude -114.55051 deg (W)

Valey of Fire State Park Map:

( see here for larger map at the State Park website )

Aerial photograph of the Valley of Fire and the Atlatl Rock area:

(Credit: G. Rank; picture taken September 5, 2012 during a transcontinental flight passing south of the area)

Atlatl Rock as seen from east:

June 24, 2011; ~7:00 am PDT, ~30 minutes after sunrise; location of the petroglyps indicated; view from main road (VoF Hwy 169);
(click on the pictures twice to see full resolution!)

Atlatl Rock as seen from north-northeast:

September 21, 2010; ~7:00 am PDT, ~30 minutes after sunrise; location of the petroglyps indicated;
(click on the pictures twice to see full resolution!)

Atlatl Rock description at the parking lot (2008).

Atlatl Rock information at the platform (2010).

The site of the Atlatl petroglyps:

view from north-northeast (parking lot)
at 6:51 am PDT on September 21, 2010 (20 minutes after sunrise)

view from east
at 9:25 am PDT on September 21, 2010

view of the platform from northeast near the base of the stairs
at 11:30 am PDT on September 12, 2008

view of the petroglyps from the platform
at 11:31 am PDT on September 12, 2008

Panoramic view from the platform at Atlatl Rock from north (left) to south (right) looking towards east (center):

(June 24, 2011; ~11:45 am PDT; click twice on the picture for full resolution)

Sunrise locations:

near summer solstice on June 20/21 each year Az = ~ 63 deg	near the equinoxes on March 20/21 and September 22/23 each year Az = 90 deg (east)	near winter solstice on December 21/22 each year (predicted, not observed) Az = ~ 117 deg
(click twice on the picture for full resolution)