The Moon In Ancient Astronomy

Already calculations of the movement of the moon, the works of Regiomontanom, made it possible for the first time to correctly determine the position of the coasts of America, which Columbus, as is known, first took for the countries of East Asia or India. Using the data of Regiomontan, Amerigo Vespucci near the mouth of the Orinoco observed the covering of Mars by the moon by calculating Regiomontanus, referred to the meridian of Ulm, this covering was to occur at night, whereas on the coast of South America it was observed early in the evening.

Taking advantage of the difference between this local time and the time that was given for Ulm, it was possible to determine the geographical longitude of the South American coast with respect to the Ulm meridian. This calculation finally forced then to abandon the idea of belonging to new countries of East Asia and showed that they lie in a new part of the world. Luna In Ancient Astronomy ...

In astronomy, as is known, the position of the place on the earth's surface is replaced by the position of the point of its zenith on the surface of the celestial sphere. The point of the zenith on land is determined by the continuation of the plumb line (most easily by means of a plumb bob made of filament) or by a direction perpendicular to the resting surface of the liquid. On the sea, where the plumb or the surface of the liquid can not be at rest due to the rocking of the ship, the zenith point is defined as a point equally remote from all points of the sea horizon. Even in ancient times, people knew that the moon is in the signs of the zodiac, the Moon in Capricorn, the Moon In Leo ....

Measuring the smallest value of the angle or arc between the edge of the solar disk and the horizon line, which can be achieved with fairly simple instruments, it is easy to obtain the distance of the center of the solar disk from the zenith; This takes into account the phenomenon of the so-called lowering of the horizon, which was discussed above when considering the question of the sphericity of the earth. Produce two such measurements of the distance of the sun from the zenith for any different positions of the sun relative to the horizon and the countries of the world, one, for example, , Produce up to half a day, the other about half a day.

The Moon in Ancient Astronomy