Ray of Light (pre-Madonna)
June 3, 2015 1:22 PM Subscribe
Looking for the origins of a semi-common trope in fiction: under certain conditions (i.e., on a certain day of the year), a ray of light shines through a small opening or into a particular place and illuminates a secret.
Does this only happen in fiction? Is there a real-world example? I'm not interested in examples such as Stonehenge, which although cosmologically aligned to take advantage of natural light, does not reveal a secret. The "secret" part is important.
Some examples of fictional stories where this (or something very similar) happens:
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (a beam of light shines onto a scale-model city to reveal the ark's location)
- The Hobbit (under certain conditions of light, a secret keyhole is revealed)
- A Scooby-Doo episode (particulars unknown to me)
- Journey to the Center of the Earth (maybe the earliest proto-example?)
However: I'm interested in more examples, but I'm especially I'm looking for the earliest example in fiction (or movies or myth or whatever) and/or the real world. Thanks for any and all help!
Does this only happen in fiction? Is there a real-world example? I'm not interested in examples such as Stonehenge, which although cosmologically aligned to take advantage of natural light, does not reveal a secret. The "secret" part is important.
Some examples of fictional stories where this (or something very similar) happens:
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (a beam of light shines onto a scale-model city to reveal the ark's location)
- The Hobbit (under certain conditions of light, a secret keyhole is revealed)
- A Scooby-Doo episode (particulars unknown to me)
- Journey to the Center of the Earth (maybe the earliest proto-example?)
However: I'm interested in more examples, but I'm especially I'm looking for the earliest example in fiction (or movies or myth or whatever) and/or the real world. Thanks for any and all help!
This happens at Abu Simbel. I've seen it, it's amazing. Though it's more a mystery than a secret, I guess.
posted by tavegyl at 1:37 PM on June 3, 2015
posted by tavegyl at 1:37 PM on June 3, 2015
I think archaeoastronomy is the keyword you want for real-life examples. I am combing through this now.
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:38 PM on June 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:38 PM on June 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Sun Dagger at Chco Canyon is an example of this.
posted by nickggully at 1:39 PM on June 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by nickggully at 1:39 PM on June 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
El Castillo is closer than Stonehenge, in that it makes a visual illusion happen twice a year. But the illusion does not seem to reveal a secret. "Sculptures of plumed serpents run down the sides of the northern balustrade. During the spring and autumn equinoxes, the late afternoon sun strikes off the northwest corner of the pyramid and casts a series of triangular shadows against the northwest balustrade, creating the illusion of a feathered serpent "crawling" down the pyramid."
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:41 PM on June 3, 2015
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:41 PM on June 3, 2015
Oh, by the way, this happens in the movie National Treasure.
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:45 PM on June 3, 2015
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:45 PM on June 3, 2015
This is close - twice a year hidden sculptures are revealed, but they're only hidden by darkness so it's not exactly what you want.
"It is believed that the axis of [the Great Temple at Abu Simbel] was positioned by the ancient Egyptian architects in such a way that on October 22 and February 22, the rays of the sun would penetrate the sanctuary and illuminate the sculptures on the back wall, except for the statue of Ptah, the god connected with the Underworld, who always remained in the dark."
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:49 PM on June 3, 2015
"It is believed that the axis of [the Great Temple at Abu Simbel] was positioned by the ancient Egyptian architects in such a way that on October 22 and February 22, the rays of the sun would penetrate the sanctuary and illuminate the sculptures on the back wall, except for the statue of Ptah, the god connected with the Underworld, who always remained in the dark."
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:49 PM on June 3, 2015
IRL, an inner chamber is illuminated by a shaft of light at dawn on the winter solstice at Newgrange, an ancient burial mound in Ireland.
posted by islandeady at 4:53 PM on June 3, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by islandeady at 4:53 PM on June 3, 2015 [3 favorites]
At the Shrine of Remembrance war memorial in Melbourne, a ray of sunlight shines onto the word 'LOVE' at 11am on the 11th November, to commemorate Armistice Day.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 5:14 PM on June 3, 2015
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 5:14 PM on June 3, 2015
Geodesy is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth.
In the village of Syene (modern Aswan) was a well which was famous because at noon on the day of the summer solstice, the light of the sun shown directly down it, and you could see the bottom. Eratosthenes knew that was not the case at Alexandria (where he lived) and he paid a man to pace off the distance between them. Knowing that, and knowing the angle of the shadow cast by the sun in Alexandria on the summer solstice, Eratosthenes was able to calculate the circumference of the Earth to within one percent.
This happened in the 2nd Century BC.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:46 PM on June 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
In the village of Syene (modern Aswan) was a well which was famous because at noon on the day of the summer solstice, the light of the sun shown directly down it, and you could see the bottom. Eratosthenes knew that was not the case at Alexandria (where he lived) and he paid a man to pace off the distance between them. Knowing that, and knowing the angle of the shadow cast by the sun in Alexandria on the summer solstice, Eratosthenes was able to calculate the circumference of the Earth to within one percent.
This happened in the 2nd Century BC.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:46 PM on June 3, 2015 [2 favorites]
Also IRL, the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria, South Africa (completed in 1949).
"Through an opening in this dome a ray of sunlight shines at twelve o'clock on 16 December annually, falling onto the centre of the Cenotaph, striking the words 'Ons vir Jou, Suid-Afrika' (Afrikaans for 'We for Thee, South Africa')posted by Gomez_in_the_South at 6:56 PM on June 3, 2015
On re-reading the question, I missed the importance of the 'secret' part. Though the light does highlight text that is not normally highlighted, it is visible at any time.
posted by Gomez_in_the_South at 6:58 PM on June 3, 2015
posted by Gomez_in_the_South at 6:58 PM on June 3, 2015
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So, more like the opposite of a ray of light, but still a pretty great real world example.
Sadly, the treasure was ultimately found by other means, causing a bit of a controversy.
posted by bondcliff at 1:37 PM on June 3, 2015