VMs: RE: Astronomical Section Update

["Don Latham" <djl@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The span of years is very interesting indeed.
D

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-vms-list@xxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-vms-list@xxxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Robert Teague
Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 7:54 PM
To: Voynich Manuscript List
Subject: VMs: Astronomical Section Update


I've been continuing my investigations of the Astronomical Section
using the so-far-fruitful literal approach to an interpretation of the
diagrams. Starry Night Pro has proven an invaluable tool to finding 
configurations of the sky that match the diagrams.

To recap:

f67r1 depicts a total solar eclipse that was seen in Prague on 
24 January 1544. This was found in an online database of solar eclipses
spanning some 6000 years. It was the only such eclipse visible in
Prague within the time period of the creation of the VMs.

f67r2 has not been examined as yet.

f67v1 shows Tycho's Star, a supernova appearing in November 1572.
The dark stars in the southwest section can be identified as the brightest
stars in Casseopiea. Note that the face is carefully drawn, unlike most
of the human faces in the rest of the Voynich. The moustache and 
beard appear to match those in the pictures of Brahe.

f67v2 has only been partially interpreted:

The NW section shows a triangular conjuction of Mercury, Venus and
Jupiter that was a unique event. It occured at sunrise on 16 May 1549.

The SE section shows an "L"-shaped conjunction of Jupiter, Mercury,
Venus and Mars, also a unique event. It occured at sunset 10 July 1577.

The NE and SW sections show a square conjuction of planets, seen
at moonrise and moonset. These events have not been found, and may
not be possible.

f68r1 depicts a conjunction of the Moon and Mars in Taurus that took
place on 27 December 1533. 

f68r2 shows a Moon/Planet conjuction that has not yet been identified.

f68r3 places the Moon in a precise location on the cusp between 
Taurus and Aries on 14 September 1554. This position recurs about
every 22 years, so the event shown may actually be on another date.
The cluster is definately the Pleaides, but the star behind them is not
Aldebaran. Such an orientation would make the diagram purely an
artistic one, as it cannot happen.


The above interpretations, while by no means proven, present a very
reasonable flow of subjects. That, and the facts that they all fall within
a small range of dates and were all visible in Prague presents us with
a possible date and place for the creation of the VMs. It also presents
a strong argument for meaningful text.

In addition, this research may also have provided number values for
some letters.

The last four letters in the script around the Moon on f68r1 
(in EVA <olyy>) have always looked like numbers to me. Taking the
values given on f49v gives 1-33. Since all the other dates indicated
take place in the 16th Century, I assumed it was 1533, and found
the conjuction indicated took place that year. This same "date" is
also seen as the last word on f86v4.

I've been unable to read the similar script on my copy of f68r2.

On f67v1, note the short line of text (4 letters, 5 letters) to the left of
the face. The first word may be 1572, the year of the supernova.

On f67v2, the last word of the two lines of text at the top may be 1612.

I hope that those more qualified in linguistics than me (which would
be just about anybody on this list) will find this worth the time to
evaluate. In the meantime, my astronomical research will continue.

Robert
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