At the twin temples of Abu Simbel, in Egypt’s southernmost province of Aswan, four colossal 65-foot-tall statues of Ramses II flank the main entrance to the Greater Temple.

The sun aligned on the statue of Ramses II in Aswan's Abu Simbel Temple on Thursday morning in a rare astronomical phenomenon that occurs biannually -- on 22 October and 22 February.

The sun rays once again penetrated the entrance of Aswan's iconic Abu Simbel Temple earlier on Tuesday in a captivating celestial phenomenon, illuminating the Ramses II statue and showcasing the ...

Sun aligned Thursday morning on the statute of Ramses II in Aswan's Abu Simbel Temple on a rare phenomenon that happens twice a year; on February 22 and October 22.

Ramses II, known as Ramses the Great, was the most celebrated and powerful pharaoh of the New Kingdom--Egypt's golden age.

The Colossal statues of the Temple of Ramses II in Abu Simbel, Egypt. Photo: DEA / A. Garozzo / De Agostini via Getty Images. The pharaoh took his role as god-king seriously.

The two Temples of Ramses II at Abu Simbel and the Sanctuary of Isis at Philae are the most illustrious of the Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae (Egypt), listed as World Heritage since 1979.