VMs: RE: Astrological volvelles in VMS

["John Grove" <4groves@xxxxxxxxx>]

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-voynich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-voynich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of GC
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2002 4:32 PM
To: Voynich Ms. mailing list
Subject: VMs: RE: Astrological volvelles in VMS


>As tempting as it is to look for other outside explanations, I
still feel that a disciplined study of astrological ideas and
systems available during the time period we think the VMS to be
written will yield our best results.

What other outside explanations are being discussed? I'm merely
putting calendar dates to the apparent 360 degree chart provided.

>Just one of the many for certain, but Askham's little treatise on
calendar reform (1552) is a compendium of information.  He seems
to be very well read and heavily involved in this element of
reformation.  He of course lists several authors and various
systems of calculating the year, where to start, where to stop,
when to add the leap year,

...Okay, so Askham dealt with leap years - I assume that means he
commonly accepted the 365 day year plus a leap year -- and how
would he have put that into a 360 degree table exactly?

>  Accordingly, the astrological day
starts at true noon and ends at true noon the next day, the hours
being counted equally in degrees of zodiac.  The year begins (as
in the Egyptian calendar) at noon on the longest day of the year.
The year is divided into 12 months, each month being divided
equally into 30 zodiacal days, except the last month which has 31
days.  This thinking seems a bit obtuse by modern standards.

Backwards only in that the zodiac would lose sync with the seasons and
I would be surprised if anyone dealing with calendars didn't want to line
up the vernal equinox with springtime.


John.