Heavens' Henge

[Boreades]

How come they take you seriously?

My reading of the situation is that theorists (such as they) get upset when a very good engineer produces empirical evidence that confounds their theories.

First they try to ignore you...

[jon]

How come they take you seriously?

Hi Mick

I think there are three things:

1) The outer layout of Stonehenge is arranged as a description of a Geocentric Universe (a world where the Earth is fixed at the centre). You can argue that it wasn't intended to be, but it's not possible to argue that it isn't.

2) The inner layout of Stonehenge is arranged as a working model of solar movement within a Geocentric Universe. You can also argue that it wasn't intended to be, but it's not possible to argue that it isn't: There are no loose ends.

3) Every time a new discovery about Stonehenge is made, it reinforces the theory rather than diminishes it.

I guess that's all there is to it!

All the best



Jon

[jon]

My reading of the situation is that theorists (such as they) get upset when a very good engineer produces empirical evidence that confounds their theories.

Thanks Boreades: Much appreciated. Very few people have read the book, so it's seriously good to get feedback on how it's all been written up.

Jon

[jon]

The point you made about east-west stars reminded me of the question of latitude and Stonehenge. Some people seem to think there's a special significance in the 51 point something line to an observer of the equinoctial stars. These kinds of 'special significance' claims are often simply special pleading, do you think there's any justification for it?

Hi Harriet

A question from page 1! At the time, I didn't think there was anything particularly special about 51 degrees.

It turns out there is:

Stonehenge's latitude, at the intersection of the lines, is at the only latitude at which the azimuth of the solstice axis is identical to that of a geocentric polar axis.



I've taken this data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (screen-shot below of data extraction). The US system allows you to go back to 2000BC to get solstice data:

[Boreades]

Stonehenge's latitude, at the intersection of the lines, is at the only latitude at which the azimuth of the solstice axis is identical to that of a geocentric polar axis.

Err, dimwits at the back of the bus (like me) will guess that means something special. Is there a simpler way to explain it please?

[Mick Harper]

I take it, Jon, that you have stumbled on this independently. However, I think it goes back to John Michell (or one of his acolytes) originally and certainly it was discussed on the Graham Hancock website.

This was when I came up with the independent finding that siting an observatory on the 51 degree line happens to be fiendishly difficult and that Salisbury Plain (as she wasn't quite until she had been 'planed' down) was more or less the only decent place to do so, if you were coming from anywhere to the south ie by sea.

Somewhere in Picardy comes a rather distant second but (as I also pointed out at the time) Goseck in Germany (where the German Stonehenge is situated on the 51 degree line) is very convenient if you are coming by land from the south.

Jon, I couldn't (as per usual) follow your technical arguments but I would be obliged if you would take up the Great 51 Degree Debate since it might be critical. First of all, could you give an account of how you did come to stumble upon it?

[Boreades]

I've been rummaging t'internet for articles on Stonehenge's astroarchaeology, and the significance of the latitude 51.17 north. It seems to fall into three categories

1) Gosh, what a funny coincidence for those illiterate stone-age barbarians who accidentally put it on that latitude
2) Not invented here, it must be pseudo-science
3) What we're saying

I wonder if the time of day would have mattered to the original architects?


(c) S. Harris, Science Cartoons

[jon]

Err, dimwits at the back of the bus (like me) will guess that means something special. Is there a simpler way to explain it please?

Will do. An American film production company has done an explanation of it (in a very unusual context) and I've just noticed that they will be making the Stonehenge segment available: It'll be far easier for everyone to understand it they way they have done it.

Also they have the lead character from a Star Trek series narrating it, so adds a bit of interest! It was really weird to hear my dialogue being spoken by a film star. Still is if I'm honest.

But I don't know how to insert video into this board when it becomes available.. Is it possible?

[Mick Harper]

We kiss your hem, sirrah! Somebody help this dude out IMMEDIATELY.

[Boreades]

Does the video need uploading to somewhere like Youtube?