HOW DID ANCIENTS KNOW & CALCULATE THE EQUINOX

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by Legrand

No more power at my home. So I’m writing from cell.

No need of time to find it. Simply observe from the same point of observation in a year where the sun sets. On a circle where you are the center, put a rock where it sets the most far away on one side at the beginning of winter and put another rock on that circle where it sets down the most far away on the other side, which marks the beginning of summer. When the sun sets in the middle of those two rocks you have the solstice.

CLEVER.......

But how would a person know that the amount of daylight and darkness were the same on a solstice without an accurate time piece?

Originally Posted by BigJohn

CLEVER.......

But how would a person know that the amount of daylight and darkness were the same on a solstice without an accurate time piece?

Hello Big John,

One thing if for sure, when the Egyptians build their first Pyramids, around 3500 BC, they already new the exact position of the equinox in a way that even today we would have difficulty to build a so huge construction that is perfectly aligned with the True East and West line as the pyramids are.

On the equinox day the sun sets on the true West and the sun rises on the True East. Drawing a line from those two points at that time of the year gives a good idea of the direction for the true East/West line. Finding the place where the sun sets on the Equinox in those times is the only way I know of to find that line. Yet the finding with such precision the angle of that line in the way the pyramids where build would be a challenge for any surveyor and builders of today with all the tools we have.

As for realising that the time of day = the times of the night on the equinox day. Don't know how they did it, and when we realized it was such a thing on the equinox day.

The oldest sun clock dates from around 1500 BC. But then it only gives the time during the daylight. How did they calculate the time during the night time to compare with day time? Most probably from observation of the movement of the stars. But this is only speculation from my part.

Even more fascinating than the equinox, is the knowledge they had in those times, as shows for example the Mayan calender, of the north/sud pole axis of rotation of the earth doing a precessional circle in the sky that takes 25 920 years. It's from this movement of the axe of rotation of the planet that we say that we are entering the age of Aquarius that will last for about 2160 years.

Have a great day!

[John32241]

Originally Posted by Legrand

Even more fascinating than the equinox, is the knowledge they had in those times, as shows for example the Mayan calender, of the north/sud pole axis of rotation of the earth doing a precessional circle in the sky that takes 25 920 years. It's from this movement of the axe of rotation of the planet that we say that we are entering the age of Aquarius that will last for about 2160 years.

Hi,

It is amazing to me that they did these things. May be were were smarter back then than we are now.

John

[r6r6]

Originally Posted by Legrand

is the knowledge they had in those times, as shows for example the Mayan calender, of the north/sud pole axis of rotation of the earth doing a precessional circle in the sky that takes 25 920 years. It's from this movement of the axe of rotation of the planet that we say that we are entering the age of Aquarius that will last for about 2160 years.

Perhaps it has to do with mathematical extrapolation based on what is known from years of observation of precession and observation is key.

https://www.quora.com/How-did-ancien...-the-equinoxes

.."Axial precession shows up as both procession of the equinoxes and the changes in the star closest to True North. People must have found such stars useful for navigating. But it would be noted that there were slow shifts:"...

..."Ptolemy compared his own observations with those made
by Hipparchus, Menelaus of Alexandria, Timocharis, and Agrippa. He found thabetween Hipparchus's time and his own (about 265 years), the stars had moved 2°40', or 1° in 100 years (36" per year; the rate accepted today is about 50" per year or 1° in 72 years). He also confirmed that precession affected all fixed stars, not just those near the ecliptic, and his cycle had the same period of 36,000 years as found by Hipparchus."....

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by John32241

Hi,

It is amazing to me that they did these things. May be were were smarter back then than we are now.John

POSSIBLY!

Back in the early 19th century, Charles Babbage (Father of computers) came close to building a mechanical computer. The one who I admired from that story was Ada Lovelace, a person who critiqued Babbage's work. Oddly, her father, Lord Byron, is remembered whereas she continues to acquire dust from siting on the shelf.

Originally Posted by r6r6r

Perhaps it has to do with mathematical extrapolation based on what is known from years of observation of precession and observation is key.

https://www.quora.com/How-did-ancien...-the-equinoxes

.."Axial precession shows up as both procession of the equinoxes and the changes in the star closest to True North. People must have found such stars useful for navigating. But it would be noted that there were slow shifts:"...

..."Ptolemy compared his own observations with those made
by Hipparchus, Menelaus of Alexandria, Timocharis, and Agrippa. He found thabetween Hipparchus's time and his own (about 265 years), the stars had moved 2°40', or 1° in 100 years (36" per year; the rate accepted today is about 50" per year or 1° in 72 years). He also confirmed that precession affected all fixed stars, not just those near the ecliptic, and his cycle had the same period of 36,000 years as found by Hipparchus."....

Hello r6r6,

I tried to understand the meaning of 36 000 years and I could not. Could you explain more on that number? what it means to you?

72 years to make 1 degree x 360 degree in a circle = 25 920 years.

Regards,

[r6r6]

Originally Posted by Legrand

Hello r6r6,I tried to understand the meaning of 36 000 years and I could not. Could you explain more on that number? what it means to you? 72 years to make 1 degree x 360 degree in a circle = 25 920 years.Regards,

36000 as number has not specific meaning to me. Sorry if I gave that impression. I was only copying info from net that helped to valid a mycomments as stater regarding mathematical extrapolation via years of observation by Maya and whomever else.


You may need to read more info from that specific Quora page I linked to or find other sources of a similar nature. It seems apparent to me that there is no deep unaccounted for mystery regarding how maya new this or that regarding equnoz solitce etc.


Nor that they could do mathmatical caclulations out to some date in the future. Wasnt 2012 alledged to be the Mayas end-of-time scenario? I didnt buy into then and constantly correcting those who predicted doom related to it. Or a least most assessed it that way.


Then after 2012 came and gone they changed there tune or it just meant a monumental change was coming. Charlatan conartist luke around ever corner.



Yet here we are. End of human time on Earth is most likely related to Erratic Climate Change and any resultant pressures that may develop in world of crisis that also has,


plenty of hydrogen bombs to wipe out humanity,


plenty of nuke plants and nuclear waste just sitting around,


plenty of toxic polluants sittiing around,


etc.........Do you follow my drift here above?

Find the longest day.
Find the shortest day.
Count the days in between.
Divide by 2.

Various devices were used.

[BigJohn]

Originally Posted by ImthatIm

Find the longest day.
Find the shortest day.
Count the days in between.
Divide by 2.

Various devices were used.

Without a time piece, how do you find the longest and shortest day?
Besides, how did they realize the hours of day light were not the same every day?
For me, it is a very difficult question.

Hello :)

Here up North, as I watch the birds already leaving for the South, I wonder how they know its time for them to migrate on this beautiful hot and sunny day.