Classic · Monuments
Newgrange 2026: winter solstice, dates and times
Brú na Bóinne, County Meath, Ireland
Next date UTC
What happens
The axis runs at 136° from north: the rising sun falls into it while its height is between 0.9° and 1.5°. Outside that band the alignment does not close.
Next dates
Local times at the site (Europe/Dublin).
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08:58 UTC
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08:59 UTC
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08:59 UTC
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08:59 UTC
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08:58 UTC
Where to stand
Viewpoint: Entrance / roof-box · Brú na Bóinne, County Meath, Ireland
53.69440, -6.47530
Look towards 136° from north.
Good to know
The chamber is only for winners of the OPW lottery (2025: 38 out of ~16,000). Anyone can stand outside, but the beam is not visible from there.
Near the solstice the sun’s direction barely changes from one day to the next: the effect is almost identical for several days, and the peak date is best read as the middle of a window.
Dates for 2026–2030, worked out by Duskbox’s own astronomy engine: the sun from NREL’s SPA, the moon topocentric, both with atmospheric refraction.
