The Caracol: A Maya Observatory

The 3D immersive experience of the Maya Skies Project

Chichen Itza scanner (2005) by CyArkCyArk

The Maya Skies Project is an ambitious mission to photograph the Chichén Itzá ruins. These are no ordinary photos but a collection of HD laser and photographic data. The project is a collaboration between CyArk, the Chabot Space and Science Center and InSight Digital and ArtsLab.

Chichen itza scanner 2 (2005) by CyArkCyArk

The 3D images collected of the Mayan skies as seen from Chichén Itzá were used in the short film called “Tales of the Maya Skies,” which showed at the Chabot Space and Science Center. The half-hour film was created specifically for a planetarium.

Chichen Itza forest (2005) by CyArkCyArk

It took three weeks to collect the images and lots of advanced technology. Some of the equipment the team used include close-range laser scanning tools, panoramic and HDR cameras, measuring apparatus, and LiDAR, a light sensor which measures distances.  

Chichen caracol by CyArkCyArk

Dozens of scans were produced of the Caracol structure alone, which is believed to have been an ancient Mayan observatory building and provided a way for people to observe changes in the sky above the canopy. 

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Get an idea of what it was like to sit atop the Caracol Mayan observatory with this 360-degree panoramic image.

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The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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