Stone Wonders that Touch the Sky

The Sun Miracle and the Mountain Guards: Abu Simbel

In the south of Egypt, there is a temple hidden inside a giant mountain built by King Ramses II. Amazingly, four colossal statues of the king sit right at the front to guard the door! Even more wondrous is the astronomical puzzle called the 'Sun Miracle.' On exactly two days every year—the king's birthday and his coronation day—golden sunbeams sneak in a long, perfectly straight line into the dark temple to light up the king's statue inside, as if the sun is smiling at him to celebrate his birthday!

If you could make the sunbeams light up something in your room only on your birthday, what would that thing be?

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