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Definition
| imaginary circle midway between the celestial poles |
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Definition
| The object at the center of the (fictitious) celestial sphere |
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Term
| At the Earth's North Pole the stars move |
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Definition
parallel to the horizon, neither rising nor
setting |
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Term
The changes in the Sun's rising and setting points and
where it crosses the celestial meridian over the course of
the year are evidence that the Sun moves |
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Definition
north and south with respect to the celestial
sphere |
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Term
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Definition
The point on the celestial sphere at which the Sun is
farthest south of the celestial equator |
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Term
| approximate date of the autumnal equinox |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
The equatorial coordinate which is expressed in units of
time -- hours, minutes, seconds -- is |
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Term
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Definition
The equatorial coordinate system has this
as its starting or reference point |
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Definition
The time for the Sun to complete its trip around the
ecliptic with respect to the fixed stars is the |
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Definition
first appearance before sunrise after an object
has been invisible near the Sun |
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Term
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Definition
The interval between successive heliacal risings of a
star (or star cluster like the Pleiades) |
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Term
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Definition
| The Moon's phase immediately following full |
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Term
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Definition
When the Moon is at first quarter it will rise at
approximately |
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Term
The celestial globe has circles for the celestial
equator and ecliptic but not for the Moon's path.
Why? |
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Definition
The Moon's path constantly shifts because
of the regression of its nodes |
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Term
The Moon's nodes move westwards along the ecliptic
because of regression. The Moon moves eastwards with
respect to the fixed stars. As a result: |
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Definition
the nodical month is shorter than the
sidereal month |
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Term
The Moon's major standstills occur when the
ascending node is at the |
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Definition
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Term
feature of Stonehenge is recognized as
genuine by virtually everyone |
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Definition
the center-Heel Stone alignment towards
midsummer (i.e., summer solstice) sunrise |
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Term
Newgrange's alignment together with the finding
of human remains inside suggests a connection
between |
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Definition
| winter solstice, death, and rebirth |
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Term
The Inca calendar had the beginning of the year
tied to the |
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Definition
| heliacal rising of the Pleiades |
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Term
| The Coricancha in Cuzco had symbolism pertaining to |
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Definition
the Sun, Moon, Venus,
the Pleiades, and other star groups |
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Term
The ceque system in Cuzco had 328 huacas
(shrines), which is the same number as the
number of days in twelve sidereal months.
It is also less than the length of the year
by 37 days, which is |
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Definition
the approximate length of time
the Pleiades cluster is invisible near the
Sun |
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Term
The four stone columns on the mountain west
of Cuzco were used to mark the direction of |
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Definition
sunset on the day of the Sun's
antizenith passage in August, the time for
planting |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| greatest elongation (east or west) |
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Definition
aspect or configuration when an
inferior planet is farthest from the Sun in the sky |
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Term
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Definition
A superior planet is in retrograde motion
around this time |
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Term
Successive heliacal risings of Venus take
place at intervals of |
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Definition
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Term
Mayan calendar system using a "year"
of 260 days |
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Definition
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Term
We know that the Maya knew the relation
between the sacred year and the synodic period
of Venus because of a table in the |
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Definition
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Term
The Mayan deity Kukulcan was associated
with this planet, whose heliacal rising was
considered a time of great danger |
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Definition
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Term
The Hopi Soyal ceremony occurs around the
time of |
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Definition
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Term
The 19-year Metonic cycle for fitting
together the tropical year and the synodic
month is an example of |
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Definition
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Term
Our division of the day into 24 hours
originated with the |
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Definition
Egyptian decans used to divide
the nighttime |
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Term
The instrument which is used to tell
when the Sun is at the zenith but not
the time of day is the |
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Definition
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Term
At Ballochroy the distance from the megalith
to the mountain is 19 miles, while the distance
from the center of Stonehenge to the Heel
Stone is several hundred feet. What can one
infer about the relative precision of the two
alignments? |
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Definition
| Ballochroy is more precise |
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Term
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Definition
| The imaginary point directly below the observer |
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Term
The altitude of the celestial pole in the
observer's sky is equal to |
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Definition
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Term
The approximate date on which the Sun is farthest
north of the celestial equator is |
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Definition
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Term
the Sun rises farthest north of east at
intervals of a |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
ecliptic coordinate measured
eastward from the vernal equinox along the
ecliptic |
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Term
The sidereal month is defined as
the Moon's period with respect to the |
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Definition
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Term
The full Moon should set approximately
at |
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Definition
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Term
When the Moon's ascending node is on
top of the vernal equinox, the Moon will
pass through its |
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Definition
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Term
The fact that the Moon's nodes regress,
(i.e. move westwards with respect to the
fixed stars) while the Moon moves eastwards
means that |
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Definition
the nodical month will be shorter
than the sidereal month |
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Term
Suggested astronomical
connections for Stonehenge definitely not
currently accepted |
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Definition
use of the Aubrey holes to predict
eclipses |
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Term
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Definition
first appearance in the morning sky before
sunrise |
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Term
The alignment of the passageway into Newgrange
is approximately in the direction of |
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Definition
| winter solstice (midwinter) sunrise |
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Term
The alignment in Cuzco (Inca capital)
associated with the Sun's (unseen) passage through
the antizenith was |
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Definition
the one from the Ushnu towards
the four stone columns on Cerro Picchu |
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Term
The number of huacas in the Inca ceque
system of Cuzco, which is 328, approximately equals
the number of days in 12 sidereal months. It also
roughly matches |
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Definition
the number of nights in the year during
which the Pleiades is visible |
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Term
The Torreon at Machu Picchu has an alignment
towards the northeast that is essentially the
same as that of the main axis of the Coricancha.
What alignment(s) is/are involved? |
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Definition
June solstice sunrise and Pleiades
rise |
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Definition
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