scholarly journals Drombeg Stone Circle, Ireland, analyzed with respect to sunrises and lithic shadow-casting for the eight traditional agricultural festival dates and further validated by photography

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 5-37
Author(s):  
G. Terence Meaden
Keyword(s):  
Present Observation ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Winter Solstice ◽  
Accurate Analysis ◽  
Agricultural Communities ◽  
Winter Half ◽  
Shadow Casting ◽  
May Day ◽  
Summer Half ◽  
Calendar Dates

A new survey of Drombeg Stone Circle and accurate analysis of shadow effects beginning at particular sunrises of the calendar year has led to a breakthrough in the understanding of lithic symbolism and the intentions behind the construction of this and other Irish monuments including Knowth and Newgrange that also have astronomical alignments. At Drombeg specific standing stones play critical roles at sunrise for all eight of the festival dates as known traditionally and historically for agricultural communities and as now inferred for prehistoric times following the present observation-based analysis.Crucial for Drombeg in the summer half of the year is the positioning of a tall straight-sided portal stone such that its shadow at midsummer sunrise encounters an engraving on the recumbent stone diametrically opposite. During subsequent minutes the shadow moves away allowing the light of the sun to fall on the carved symbol. It is the same for sunrises at Beltane (May Day), Lughnasadh (Lammas), and the equinoxes when shadows from other perimeter stones achieve the same coupling with the same image, each time soon replaced by sunlight. For the winter half of the year which includes dates for Samhain, the winter solstice and Imbolc, the target stone for shadow reception at sunrise is a huge lozenge-shaped megalith, artificially trimmed. Moreover, for 22 March and 21 September there is notable dramatic action by shadow and light between a precisely positioned narrow pillar stone and the lozenge stone.As a result, at sunrise at Drombeg eight calendrical shadow events have been witnessed and photographed. This attests to the precision of Neolithic planning that determined the stone positions, and demonstrates the antiquity of the calendar dates for these traditional agricultural festivals. Discussion is held as to what the concept of shadow casting between shaped or engraved stones at the time of sunrise may have meant in terms of lithic symbolism for the planners and builders. This leads to a possible explanation in terms of the ancient worldview known as the hieros gamos or the Marriage of the Gods between Sky and Earth.

scholarly journals Drombeg Stone Circle, Ireland, analyzed with respect to sunrises and lithic shadow-casting for the eight traditional agricultural festival dates and further validated by photography

1970 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 5-37
Author(s):  
G. Terence Meaden
Keyword(s):  
Present Observation ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Winter Solstice ◽  
Accurate Analysis ◽  
Agricultural Communities ◽  
Winter Half ◽  
Shadow Casting ◽  
May Day ◽  
Summer Half ◽  
Calendar Dates

A new survey of Drombeg Stone Circle and accurate analysis of shadow effects beginning at particular sunrises of the calendar year has led to a breakthrough in the understanding of lithic symbolism and the intentions behind the construction of this and other Irish monuments including Knowth and Newgrange that also have astronomical alignments. At Drombeg specific standing stones play critical roles at sunrise for all eight of the festival dates as known traditionally and historically for agricultural communities and as now inferred for prehistoric times following the present observation-based analysis. Crucial for Drombeg in the summer half of the year is the positioning of a tall straight-sided portal stone such that its shadow at midsummer sunrise encounters an engraving on the recumbent stone diametrically opposite. During subsequent minutes the shadow moves away allowing the light of the sun to fall on the carved symbol. It is the same for sunrises at Beltane (May Day), Lughnasadh (Lammas), and the equinoxes when shadows from other perimeter stones achieve the same coupling with the same image, each time soon replaced by sunlight. For the winter half of the year which includes dates for Samhain, the winter solstice and Imbolc, the target stone for shadow reception at sunrise is a huge lozenge-shaped megalith, artificially trimmed. Moreover, for 22 March and 21 September there is notable dramatic action by shadow and light between a precisely positioned narrow pillar stone and the lozenge stone. As a result, at sunrise at Drombeg eight calendrical shadow events have been witnessed and photographed. This attests to the precision of Neolithic planning that determined the stone positions, and demonstrates the antiquity of the calendar dates for these traditional agricultural festivals. Discussion is held as to what the concept of shadow casting between shaped or engraved stones at the time of sunrise may have meant in terms of lithic symbolism for the planners and builders. This leads to a possible explanation in terms of the ancient worldview known as the hieros gamos or the Marriage of the Gods between Sky and Earth.

scholarly journals Stonehenge and Avebury: Megalithic shadow casting at the solstices at sunrise

1970 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 39-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Terence Meaden
Keyword(s):  
Half Width ◽  
Summer Solstice ◽  
Stone Casting ◽  
Late Neolithic ◽  
Winter Solstice ◽  
Half Height ◽  
Shadow Casting ◽  
Axis Of Symmetry ◽  
Calendar Dates

The paper examines how specific megaliths at Stonehenge and Avebury were positioned relative to others and to particular sunrises such as to produce watchable effects arising from solar movement and resulting lithic shadows. At Stonehenge and environs numerous research expeditions (exceeding 120 that started in 1981) combined with accurate compass analysis, photography and studies of the best plans of the sarsen-stone and bluestone phases have led to explanations for apparent anomalies of stone positioning that have not been clarified before. Firstly, at the summer solstice in the Late Neolithic the Altar Stone was illuminated by sunshine for the first three or four minutes of the day, following which the shadow of the round-topped Heel Stone was cast into the middle of Stonehenge to reach the Altar Stone. This circumstance continues to be witnessed today. It is a consequence of the Heel Stone being deliberately offset from the Stonehenge axis of symmetry. Again, there is the offset positioning of the anomalous half-height, half-width, Stone 11 that disrupts the otherwise regular arc of the lintelled sarsen circle. It is also a fact that the Altar Stone, although on the midsummer sunrise axis and bisected by it, does not lie perpendicular to the monument’s axis but is instead angled lengthways in the direction of the winter solstice sunrise. The same is true of the orientation of the Great Trilithon (as recently discussed by T. Daw). This suggests that the Altar Stone and the Great Trilithon were deliberately positioned this way in order to respect and emphasise an older arrangement in which a midwinter sunrise megalithic setting had been important. Such an arrangement involving the winter solstice sunrise still exists because the shadow of the short round-topped Stone 11 at sunrise appears aimed at the rhyolite ignimbrite Bluestones 40 and 38 - both of which are damaged, fallen and possibly parts of a single original. In similar manner the site of Hole G could indicate the former position of an ancestral stone with regard to equinoctial sunrises. Thus, these shadow-casting experiences for sunrise at Stonehenge may have affinities with the proven stone-to-stone casting of shadows for the same significant calendar dates at the carefully examined Drombeg Stone Circle. At Avebury the stones of the Cove in the northern circle together with Avebury’s Stone F harmonize likewise at the summer solstice sunrise. Two surviving megaliths in Avebury’s southern circle behave similarly. It is discussed whether an explanation in terms of the ancient worldview of the hieros gamos between Sky and Earth may be appropriate for Stonehenge and Avebury as it could also be at Drombeg.

Die Sonne, der Obelisk und die Ara Pacis Augustae/ The Sun, the Obelisk, and the Ara Pacis Augustae

2003 ◽  
Vol 58 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Alfred Klemm
Keyword(s):  
The Sun ◽  
The West ◽  
Central European ◽  
Northern Latitude ◽  
Winter Half ◽  
Summer Half ◽  
Ara Pacis ◽  
Winter Time

From the fact that Rome lies at 41.9° northern latitude, the distance of the ara pacis Augustae from the obelisk was 85 m, the length of the obelisk is 30m and its shadow did not reach the ara during the summer half and reached it, provided the sun did shine, daily during the winter half it is concluded that the ara was situated 18.45° north of the west-east axis, and the shadow reached the ara at 16 o’clock and 24 minutes central European winter time.

scholarly journals Stonehenge and Avebury: Megalithic shadow casting at the solstices at sunrise

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 39-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Terence Meaden
Keyword(s):  
Half Width ◽  
Summer Solstice ◽  
Stone Casting ◽  
Late Neolithic ◽  
Winter Solstice ◽  
Half Height ◽  
Shadow Casting ◽  
Axis Of Symmetry ◽  
Calendar Dates

The paper examines how specific megaliths at Stonehenge and Avebury were positioned relative to others and to particular sunrises such as to produce watchable effects arising from solar movement and resulting lithic shadows. At Stonehenge and environs numerous research expeditions (exceeding 120 that started in 1981) combined with accurate compass analysis, photography and studies of the best plans of the sarsen-stone and bluestone phases have led to explanations for apparent anomalies of stone positioning that have not been clarified before.Firstly, at the summer solstice in the Late Neolithic the Altar Stone was illuminated by sunshine for the first three or four minutes of the day, following which the shadow of the round-topped Heel Stone was cast into the middle of Stonehenge to reach the Altar Stone. This circumstance continues to be witnessed today. It is a consequence of the Heel Stone being deliberately offset from the Stonehenge axis of symmetry. Again, there is the offset positioning of the anomalous half-height, half-width, Stone 11 that disrupts the otherwise regular arc of the lintelled sarsen circle. It is also a fact that the Altar Stone, although on the midsummer sunrise axis and bisected by it, does not lie perpendicular to the monument’s axis but is instead angled lengthways in the direction of the winter solstice sunrise. The same is true of the orientation of the Great Trilithon (as recently discussed by T. Daw). This suggests that the Altar Stone and the Great Trilithon were deliberately positioned this way in order to respect and emphasise an older arrangement in which a midwinter sunrise megalithic setting had been important. Such an arrangement involving the winter solstice sunrise still exists because the shadow of the short round-topped Stone 11 at sunrise appears aimed at the rhyolite ignimbrite Bluestones 40 and 38 - both of which are damaged, fallen and possibly parts of a single original. In similar manner the site of Hole G could indicate the former position of an ancestral stone with regard to equinoctial sunrises. Thus, these shadow-casting experiences for sunrise at Stonehenge may have affinities with the proven stone-to-stone casting of shadows for the same significant calendar dates at the carefully examined Drombeg Stone Circle. At Avebury the stones of the Cove in the northern circle together with Avebury’s Stone F harmonize likewise at the summer solstice sunrise. Two surviving megaliths in Avebury’s southern circle behave similarly. It is discussed whether an explanation in terms of the ancient worldview of the hieros gamos between Sky and Earth may be appropriate for Stonehenge and Avebury as it could also be at Drombeg.

Observation of the winter solstice 1812, with the mural circle at Greenwich

1832 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 457-457
Keyword(s):  
Slight Modification ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Summer Solstice ◽  
Winter Solstice ◽  
Separate Paper ◽  
The Subject

The weather was so extremely unfavourable, that it was not possible to obtain more than eight observations of the sun, from which the obliquity of the ecliptic at the late solstice could be deduced; from these it is inferred to have been 23° 27' 47''·35, that from the summer solstice having been 23° 27' 51''·3. This small discordance, it is observed, might be easily made to disappear by a slight modification of Bradley’s refractions; but the Astronomer Royal has not yet had an opportunity of making a sufficient number of observations on circumpolar stars with the new circle, to warrant making any corrections in his table of refractions, and he leaves the subject of the discordance of the solstices for discussion in a separate paper.

Survival of red-capped robins (Petroica goodenovii) in woodland remnants of central western New South Wales, Australia

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard E. Major ◽  
Greg Gowing
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rates ◽  
Relative Survival ◽  
Adult Mortality ◽  
Annual Survival ◽  
Survival Probabilities ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Winter Half ◽  
Linear Habitat ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Summer Half

To determine relative survival rates of small birds occupying small, linear strips of woodland compared with large patches of woodland, marked populations of red-capped robins were monitored over a two-year period. In total, 196 male robins were banded with unique colour combinations in 10 woodland remnants and censused by song playback at half-yearly intervals. The Cormack–Jolly–Seber method was used to calculate half-yearly survival probabilities for birds in the two habitat configurations and the strongest model included separate survival parameters for summer (36.2% 5.1) and autumn (88.9% 13.5) half-years, but a constant recapture probability (50.5% 7.2). The inclusion of separate parameters for the large and linear habitat configurations reduced the strength of the model, indicating that there was no significant difference between the survival rates of birds occupying small, linear strips of woodland and birds occupying large patches of woodland. The mean annual survival, determined by multiplying the half-yearly survival probabilities, was 32%, which is low, compared with the annual survival of other Petroica robins. Although no banded birds were located away from the banding site, we suspect that much of the ‘mortality’ represented emigration during the summer half-year. Under this scenario a better estimate of annual survival (79%) might be achieved by extrapolation of survival over the winter half-year. This study provides no data to support the contention that adult mortality is higher in small, linear strips of habitat, although further data on the fate of birds that disappear from remnants is required before this is conclusive. In addition, to detect a 20% difference in survival using similar methods to the present study, with their accompanying sources of variation, at least 10 times the number of birds would need to be monitored. This might most effectively be done as a co-operative banding project.

scholarly journals XVII. Observation of the winter solstice of 1812, the mural circle at Greenwich

1813 ◽  
Vol 103 ◽  
pp. 123-125
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Astronomical Observation ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Winter Solstice

The weather this year at the period of the solstice was peculiarly unfavourable for astronomical observation ; however, in the course of the month, I obtained nine observations of the sun; one of these proved defective, the result of the other eight, accompanies this communication.

Fire, Prayer, and Purification

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 195-212
Author(s):  
Tōru Yagi
Keyword(s):  
The Sun ◽  
Winter Solstice ◽  
The Past ◽  
The People ◽  
Old Japanese ◽  
Folk Tradition

Abstract Kyoto is home to a number of unique year-end festivals. This article focuses on traditions that occur during Shimotsuki and Shiwasu (the eleventh and twelfth months of the old Japanese lunisolar calendar), including the fire festivals of O-hitaki, Niinamesai, and Daikondaki; events that celebrate visiting deities, such as Daishikō; and purification rites of Shintō, Buddhist, and folk tradition, such as Kakure nenbutsu, Butsumyōe, and Sekizoro. Analysis and comparison of these rituals reveals a common motivation for their origin. As the power of the sun wanes with the winter solstice, the people of Kyoto in the past felt a need to reflect on the previous year, cleanse themselves of accumulated sin and misfortune, and pray that the coming year would bring peace, fortune, and a fertile harvest.

scholarly journals New discoveries on astronomical orientation of Inca site in Ollantaytambo, Peru

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-46
Author(s):  
Karolína Hanzalová ◽  
Jaroslav Klokočník ◽  
Jan Kostelecký
Keyword(s):  
Digital Elevation Model ◽  
Satellite Images ◽  
Observation Point ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Winter Solstice ◽  
Machu Picchu ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
Elevation Model ◽  
The Temple

<p>This paper deals with astronomical orientation of Incas objects in Ollantaytambo, which is located about 35 km southeast from Machu Picchu, about 40 km northwest from Cusco, and lies in the Urubamba valley. Everybody writing about Ollantaytambo, shoud read Protzen. (1)  He devoted his monograph to description and interpretation of that locality. Book of Salazar and Salazar (2) deals, among others, with the orientation of objects in Ollantaytambo with respect to the cardinal direction. Zawaski and Malville (3) documented astronomical context of major monuments of nine sites in Peru, including Ollantaytambo. We tested astronomical orientation in these places and confirm or disprove hypothesis about purpose of Incas objects. For assessment orientation of objects we used our measurements and also satellite images on Google Earth and digital elevation model from ASTER. The satellite images were used to estimate the astronomical-solar-solstice orientation, together with terrestrial images from Salazar and Salazar (2). The digital elevation model is useful in the mountains, where we need the actual horizon for a calculation of sunset and sunrise on specific days (solstices), which were for Incas people very important. We tested which astronomical phenomenon is connected with objects in Ollantaytambo. First, we focused on Temple of the Sun, also known the Wall of six monoliths.  We tested winter solstice sunrise and the rides of the Pleiades for the epochs 2000, 1500 and 1000 A.D. According with our results the Temple isn´t connected neither with winter solstice sunrise nor with the Pleiades. Then we tested also winter solstice sunset. We tried to use the line from an observation point near ruins of the Temple of Sun, to west-north, in direction to sunset. The astronomical azimuth from this point was about 5° less then we need. From this results we found, that is possible to find another observation point. By Salazar and Salazar (2) we found observation point at the corner (east rectangle) of the pyramid by <em>Pacaritanpu,</em> down by the riverside. There is a line connecting the east rectangular “platform” at the river, going along the Inca road up to vicinity of the Temple of the Sun and then in the direction to the Inca face. Using a digital elevation model we found the astronomical azimuth, which is needed for confirm astronomical orientation of the Temple. So, finally we are able to demonstrate a possibility of the solar-solstice orientation in Ollantaytambo.</p>

scholarly journals The results of observations made at the observatory of Trinity College, Dublin, for determining the obliquity of the ecliptic, and the maximum of the aberration of light

1833 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 114-115
Keyword(s):  
Trinity College ◽  
Sufficient Accuracy ◽  
Zenith Distance ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Summer Solstice ◽  
Winter Solstice ◽  
Trinity College Dublin ◽  
The Mean

The obliquity of the ecliptic, as deduced from the early observations by the Greenwich quadrant, compared with the present obliquity, gives the diminution for an interval of nearly sixty years, with almost sufficient accuracy to state with some confidence the mass of Venus; but to obtain this point with certainty, the present obliquity, deduced from a mean of the observations of different astronomers, should be used. Upon this subject the author alludes to the opinion of astronomers, that observations of the winter solstice have given a less obliquity than those of the summer solstice,—an opinion sustained by the observations of Maskelyne, Arago, and Pond, but questioned by Bessel and Bradley. Dr. Brinkley refers this difference to some unknown modification of refraction; he has observed that at the winter solstice the irregularity of refraction for the sun is greater than for the stars at the same zenith-distance. He points out the necessity of paying attention to the observations at the winter solstice, and gives a table, exhibiting the mean obliquity reduced to January 1813. Dr. Brinkley next alludes to the maximum of the aberration of light, which appears from his observations of last year to be 20"·80.

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