31 Jan
2023
31 Jan
'23
12:27 p.m.
Much of what is known about StoneHenge is purely
speculation. (although I
have a trivially simple hypothesis about HOW "they managed incredible
calculations" for the placement of the stones.)
On Tue, 31 Jan 2023, Chris via cctalk wrote:
C: I'm all ears.
I myself had arrived at a plausible explanation for crop circles. Apart
from creation by humans or any other species. I was told "they" were
proven to be fraudulent though. I don't know.
OK
I stick a stick in the ground, to mark the direction that the sun sets.
(I now use a notch in the top of my fence)
But, eventually, it's not lined up with sunset any more. It has moved!
So, I stick a new stick in. But, it happens again.
I end up with lots of sticks. Moving along.
Eventually, it stops moving in that direction, and starts back the other
way!
I have a row of sticks. I pull out some, but leave the end-points,
because those are the extremes of the directions.
Belafon (a Druid computer consultant (Terry Pratchett)) has a great deal
on some vintage used rocks. So, I buy a few, and have him put them where
my sticks are. Not sure yet how he moves them. Maybe by spinning them
around in a crop circle first?
Similarly sticks and rocks for phases of the moon. But, the full cycle
isn't an integer. Sometimes it's 29 days, sometimes 30. So. I make one
circle of 29 rocks, and another of 30.
Hmmm. why did I have another circle of 56?
Inventing Sundial
I notice that one star ("Polaris") stays still, while the others move.
I stick a stick in the ground, pointing at it.
During the day, I notice that its shadow is in different places, and
When lunch arrives, I notice where the shadow is.
MAYBE I get the idea that I could use that.
The next day, when the shadow is at the pebble, I am ready for lunch on
time.
For other times of day, I don't calculate positions, with multiple
sine waves, and using Anna's lemon tree, etc.
I watch the time on my cellphone, and at 5:00, I put a pebble where the
shadow is.
Eventually, I notice that it is inaccurate at other times of the year, so
I have one set of pebbles for winter solstice, one for summer solstice, and
some in between, such as the equinox.
And THAT is how you can become a "brilliant, obviously great at math,
ancient astronomer" without having a clue.
I try archery. I can't hit the side of a barn. But, one day, I finally
hit the barn! I'm so proud of that, that I leave the arrow in and draw
concentric circles around it to highlight where it is. My neighbor says,
"Did you really shoot that arrow?"
"Sure did"
"Wow! You hit the exact center of the circles!"
And, that is how you get a reputation as a great marksman.
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred cisin(a)xenosoft.com