Look closely and you"ll see a snake slithering down the steps of the Temple of Kukulcan (aka El Castillo or The Castle), in Chichen Itza, Mexico. Not a real snake, it"s an image created by natural light and shadows only during the spring and fall equinoxes. The equinox (which means equal night in Latin) is either of the two times each year—like today, the first day of fall—when the Earth"s orbit and position cause the sun to pass directly over the equator, creating equal amounts of daylight and darkness. According to Mayan legend, on both equinoxes this pyramid is visited by Kukulcan, the feathered serpent god. Thousands of spectators gather to watch and celebrate as seven triangles of light slide down the pyramid, illustrating Kukulcan"s descent.
Stepping into autumn
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Happy Holi!
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In memory of those lost
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Welcome to the Alien Egg Hatchery
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Manhattan
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International Lighthouse Weekend
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International Polar Bear Day
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Through an artist s eyes
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Happy Thanksgiving!
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Celebrating the Acadians
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March of the flowers
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The village of Castelluccio above the Piano Grande, Umbria, Italy
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Happy trails for the 21st century
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Tassili n’Ajjer, Sahara, Algeria
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It s ∞ Day!
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A stroll above the stratosphere
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Midsummer in Sweden
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The birthplace of a classic Christmas carol
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Happy 50th for the National Trails System!
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Lake Bled, Slovenia
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Happy Syttende Mai!
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Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia
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A winter light show
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Veterans Day
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day
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Gardens by the Bay nature park, Singapore
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A little blue
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Dalyan, Turkey
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Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
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What s cuter than nuzzling rhinos?
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Who left the tub running?