I took a look at the data with Starry Night. Here is what I came up with. O1 is Alnitak, O2 Alnilam, O3 Mintaka. M is Mercury, V is Venus, S is Saturn.

~ 2500 BC Orion center belt star angle = 172.89°

(O1-O2)/(O2-O3) distance ratio = 274/280 = 0.97857


Stationed at Kafre pyramid 3/12/2012.


1. Last planet of the three rise over the horizon(morning)


center angle at Venus = 165.125°
G1-G2-G3 (Giza center base angle at Kafre pyr.{Petrie}) = 168.54°


planetary distance ratio:

(G1-G2)/(G2-G3) = 1.0725

(M-V)/(V-S) = 1.074


Very nice distance alignment, angle is off.


2. Venus - center planet at transit - crossed the Southern Meridian

center angle at Venus = 168.042°
G1-G2-G3 (Giza center base angle at Kafre pyr.{Petrie}) = 168.54°


planetary distance ratio:

(G1-G2)/(G2-G3) = 1.0725

(M-V)/(V-S) = 1.028


A half a degree angle error is not bad, neither is the relative distance error of 0.0445. This all based on Petrie's survey.

3. Saturn sets in the West

center angle at Venus = 168.173°
G1-G2-G3 (Giza center base angle at Kafre pyr.{Petrie}) = 168.54°

planetary distance ratio:

(G1-G2)/(G2-G3) = 1.0725

(M-V)/(V-S) = 0.9727

The angle here is even better , while the relative distance error is larger. The strange thing is that this ratio is close to the ancient Orion belt star distance ratio:

(O1-O2)/(O2-O3) distance ratio = 274/280 = 0.97857