NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Equinox, eggs and other questions
From: Brian Whatcott
Date: 2002 Mar 16, 21:15 -0600
From: Brian Whatcott
Date: 2002 Mar 16, 21:15 -0600
At 10:05 AM 3/16/02, you wrote: >I always assumed the equinox was when the sun crossed the equator, but >since taking a Cel Nav class I realize my naivete, and now assume that >it must be more complicated than that ;) For instance, is it when the >center of the sun crosses, or the lower limb, or what? A quick glance >through my Nautical Almanac didn't reveal an answer. > >I figure the equinox will be between 19-00 and 20-00 UT (about 19-30 it >looks like) since that's when the sun's declination hits zero. If I just >fiddle with the increment tables to get a 0 deg dec, that's the equinox? > >Oh, eggs. In Iran the new year begins on the equinox (helluv practical, >those ancient Persians). Tradition has it that at the moment of the >equinox you can stand an egg on end. Not to raise the specter of >scientific rationalism vs. folklore, but big bets are riding on this in >my office. Video evidence is being demanded. So an accurate time for the >equinox is essential. > >And Happy New Year to all the Iranians out there!! > >Rob Without getting too precise about the equinoctial moment, I can confide to Rob that yes, one can indeed stand an egg on end at that moment - or as it happens, at any other moment - it just takes a little preparation. Brian Whatcott Altus OK Eureka!