Winter Solstice Observation

Aztec Ruins National Monument will be hosting a winter solstice observation at sunset on Monday, December 22. To view this event, visitors must arrive at the visitor center by 4:30pm to join the rangers and volunteers who will be escorting visitors to the alignment loca......More

Aztec Ruins National Monument will be hosting a winter solstice observation at sunset on Monday, December 22. To view this event, visitors must arrive at the visitor center by 4:30pm to join the rangers and volunteers who will be escorting visitors to the alignment location. Please wear sturdy walking shoes, and dress for the weather. This event is free and does not require any reservations. The Aztec West great house was constructed by ancestral Pueblo people about 900 years ago in alignment with the solstices. Assuming that the western skies are clear, visitors will be able to observe the alignment of the north wall of Aztec West with the sunset position on the western horizon. This back wall of the great house aligns with both the sunrise of the summer solstice and the sunset of the winter solstice every year. During the winter solstice, the sunset location appears to “stand still” in its southernmost point on the horizon for multiple days. For more information about the solstice events at Aztec Ruins call (505) 334-6174.