NATS 1745 Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Sun, Moon, Ancient Greece
12 Oct 2018
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NATS 1745
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
Thursday, October 4, 2018
Lecture: f57c4437805c9616bf43669412ee8e
Summary:
Describe the general sense of how the following objects move in the sky: stars; planets; Sun;
Moon. The all correspond on the earth’s rotation on its ais.
Why do celestial objects rise in the east and set in the west? This is due to the Earth’s rotation
about its axis.
Why is understanding the motions of objects in the sky important? There are both fixed and
non-fixed motions that objects have. The relative position of stars do not change with time,
but the positions of planets do.
How did ancient peoples make use of their observations of the sky?
What is the difference between rotation and revolution? Revolutions are based on the
completion of an object around an orbit. Rotations are based on the object spinning on its
axis.
• Has the universe always been there or was it a moment of creation?
• Comets: not eternal, always changing
• Seven major lights in the sky: Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, Saturn
• The changing sky:
o Types of motion
▪ Daily (diurnal)
• Ojets rise in east and set in west eause of the Earth’s rotation
• Rotation: on its axis (24h)
▪ Yearly
• Revolution: on an orbit around the Sun (365d)
• Changes seasons, height of Sun’s path is higher in the summer and
lower in the winter
o (some cases) stars are visible in different seasons
o Ancients noticed/measured, predicted future motions
o Sun
▪ Rises in the east, sets in west
▪ Highest point that the sun travels: meridian
▪ Rises higher in the summer, lower in the winter
o Moon
▪ Rises in east, sets in west
▪ Goes through phases
o Stars
▪ Arranged in constellations
▪ Rise in east, set in west
▪ Fixed positions
o Planets
▪ Have complex motion different to stars
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Thursday, October 4, 2018
Lecture: European Paleolithic and Neolithic Sites
Summary:
What is the Blanchard Bone, and why is it a significant archaeological object? The Blanchard Bone is a bone
with markings interpreted as counting the phases of the moon. It dates back to over 12 000 years ago and
provides insight to astronomical observations.
When were the Neolithic and Paleolithic eras? How did the lives of ancient peoples differ in these two eras?
The Paleolithic era was the hunter/gatherer era while the Neolithic era was the agricultural society.
Where is Newgrange? What type of ancient structure was built there? How is it significant in astronomical
terms? How has precession affected this astronomical timing at Newgrange? Newgrange was a burial site
with passage tomb. The entrance to the tomb aligns with the sunrise at winter solstice. Due to the
precessio of the Earth’s spi axis, the astrooical timing has shifted slightly which needs to be taken
into account.
What is a megalith? What is a henge? A megalith is a large stone. A henge is a circle formation.
When were the following structures at Stonehenge built: Bluestones (~2550BCE, Preseli mountains, Wales,
250km away), Sarsen Stones Bluestones (~2450BCE, Marlborough Downs, 30km north), Heel Stones [Station
Stones] (maybe ~2550BCE).
What is the principal astronomical alignment at Stonehenge? The astronomical alignment of Stonehenge
was associated with first sunrise of summer solstice (June 21). The risig su appears over Heel “toe
Give one example of a remote sensing technique. How has remote sensing changed our understanding of
Stonehenge? An example includes motorized magnetometers. They can map archaeological features that
cause aoalies i Earth’s agetic field.
How were the Recumbent Stone Circles and Clava Cairns aligned? They were aligned by 3 cairns (rough
stones) by a ring of standing stones.
Paleolithic Era: ~43 000-10 000BCE
• Oldest likely record of sky observations
• Hunter/gatherer society
• Myths: sky-based
• Cave of Lascaux: Dordogne, France
o Contains paintings of (~15 000 BCE)
▪ Animals
▪ Human figures
▪ Abstract symbols
• Some images may have astronomical significance
o Cluster of dots siilar to dots of stars Pleiades
o Potetiall relates to ostellatio Taurus
• Sequence of dots may signify measuring time in the year (may relate to number of weeks)
o 13 dots: animal representing spring
o 26 dots: animals representing fall
• Blanchard bone:
o Interpreted as counting phases of moon
• Sunlight reflects moon, moon reflects different fractions
• Presa de la Mula
o Notches/lines count 7 days in 7 lunar cycles (207 days)
▪ Suspicious reference to moon (7, 14, 28 day cycles of the moons)
• Indicates count of moon phases
▪ Counting of days equal to gestation period for hunting female whitetail deer
o Animal symbols are the oldest
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