NATS 1745 Lecture : chapters 1-7 textbook/video notes
9 Dec 2013
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Document Summary
Fajada butte, ceremonial astronomical centre for ancient inhabitants of western north america. Winter and summer solstices and at equinoxes, sunlight shines through in bright sun daggers onto spiral patterns carved on the rock behind. Chaco canyon where fajada butte is located reveals a number of alignments that relate to the sun and the sky. Ceremonial life in these ancient villages revolved around their observation of the sun and the moon, provided a calendar for farmers etc. Around 1000 ad this canyon was the centre of astronomy. Great houses also built around astronomy: solstice: occurs twice each year as the sun reaches its highest or lowest excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. As a result, on the day of the solstice, the sun appears to have reached its highest or lowest annual altitude in the sky above the horizon at local solar noon.
