Re: VMs: How did Ptolemy know about time zones

[Rene Zandbergen <r_zandbergen@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Jorge,

you wrote:

> I am not sure I undestand your current view of the
> Zodiac pages. 

My view has not progressed since a couple of years
ago where I reached a kind of impasse.

> Do you feel that the events presumably encoded by
> the stars and nymphs are all of the same type (e.g.
> all of them are star risings, all of
> them are meridian crossings, etc.)?

I assumed that it could be any combination. 
Longitude is a quantity which can be computed for
every star, and this is listed in star tables such as
Ptolemy's. 
Paranatellonta (a flexible term, but implying that 
a star can rise or set) are not defined for
circumpolar
stars, a classification which depends on the 
observer's latitude. For such stars culmination 
could be relevant.
If I remember correctly, at Ptolemy's latitudes,
no circumpolar stars have magnitude 1, but I
would not want to put money on that...
 
> If so, perhaps we can match the
> *sequence* of magnitudes inferred from the VMS with
> the sequence of
> magnitudes of real stars sorted by longitude.

Yes, I tried this for longitude, oblique ascension
etc, but a match could not be achieved, even just
looking at the nr. of 9-pointed stars per VMS
zodiac sign, making no assumption about the order
in which they appear in each sign.
(It is not guaranteed that there should be an order)

Clearly, one should allow also for incidental
mistakes in the figures, plus the uncertainy which
tables, if any, are behind it. 

There really are many, many variables to play with,
which brings its own dangers.

A clear example of 'unfinshed work' ....

Cheers, Rene
 


		
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