Re: Gnomon--History for Determining North

From: W. Watson (wolf_tracks_at_invalid.inv)
Date: 10/15/04 

Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 22:52:23 GMT

SaberScorpX wrote:

>>In a book on prehistoric astronomy, the author describes the use of a >gnomon
>
> to determine E-W from the sun.
>
>>...my questions are:
>>1. how accurate is this method ?
>>2. who was the first to discover ?
>>3. when was it discovered ?
>
>
> I don't know about 'prehistoric' astronomy, but ancient astronomy records
> generally credit Anaximander with the first use of the gnomon (shadow-chaser)
> in the 5th century B.C.
> It was first used only to predict midday, and the coming of solstices
> and equinoxes.
> Later, a 'dial' was placed below the gnomon and divided into
> 'hour' lines from sunrise to sunset.
> http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/GreekScience/Students/Chris/TIME2.html
>
> SSX
>
The book in question is "Prehistoric Astronomy in the Southwest" by J. Mckim Malville
and Claudia Putnam. 

-- 
              Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
                  (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
                        Obz Site:  39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W
             (Formerly Homo habilis, erectus, heidelbergensis and now sapiens)
             "The truth is a precious commodity. That's why it is sparsely used."
                       -- Mark Twain
                         Web Page: <home.earthlink.net/~mtnviews>

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