VMs: Re: Folio 57v

["John Grove" <John@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

wasn't sure what you were referring to for the 270 degrees before, but knew
you were talking about the 4 x17 and just assumed you somehow had the
fitting into a 270 degree arc instead of the full 360. Since your on the
topic of nocturnals and volvelles I'll suggest that each symbol actually
marks 5 degrees between 90 degree quarters. The 0 and 90 aren't marked so
you end up with 17 x 5 degree increments between 9 and 90, 90 and 180, 180
and 270, and 270 and 360.

I don't think that one could necessarily use the image as a scientific
device by itself because the spacing is rather inconsistent around the
360... However, you could possibly use it to provide a rough calculation
based on a rough visual estimation of stellar or lunar positions. If the
star/moon is located about the 35 degree marker - during the appropriate
season the time is... to be determined....

John.

----- Original Message -----
From: "GC" <glenclaston@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Voynich Ms. mailing list" <voynich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, March 08, 2002 2:43 PM
Subject: VMs: Folio 57v


> last time I revisited this page, I was working
> from memory, but closer examination simply
> increases my belief that this is some sort of
> 'nocturnal'.
>
> The inside circle that I 'assumed' had 17
> characters in a 270 degree area does not.  The
> middle ring does in fact have 4 sets of 17
> characters, but the inner ring, starting from the
> 'start indicator' has 28 characters.  If you go
> left of the 'start indicator' you will find three
> other evenly spaced characters, bringing the total
> characters of this ring to 31 characters in the
> 270 degree area.  This is very much worthy of
> noting.
>
> It is my current opinion that this is indeed a
> nocturnal, and that it is constructed to calculate
> the following:  The time of night based on the
> current count of the day, the lunar cyle (new
> moon, waxing, waning, full, etc.), the solstice
> and equinoctial days, and the zenith of the moon
> (high moon) for any given day.
>
> In order to do this, the label outside the ring
> would have only one meaning - the 'north', 'pole'
> or 'artike' star.  There are a host of name
> variations for this.  the outside ring of very
> short names have to be star alignments, therefore
> star names.  I would expect the single character
> words to be probably numerical equivalents for the
> zodiac signs, and the rest to be names of 'fixed
> stars' within that particular zodiac house.
>
> What I keep getting back to however is that the
> middle ring and the single characters in the
> center ring must be encrypted numerical
> equivalents.  I'm going to be revisiting these
> sequences later, once I've ran them against what I
> already know about the VMS.  I'm more convinced
> than ever that this is a mathematical construction
> of a working volvelle.
>
> I'd welcome any advice at all on where to find
> information on the construction of these devices.
> I have several books from this time period with
> similar volvelles, and I'm going to spend some
> time going back and reading these sections very
> carefully.  In the meantime I'm open to new ideas
> on this that might explain different uses for this
> device.
>
> GC
>
>
>
>
>