by VM44 55 Replies latest watchtower bible
Going by my old chart from 2007, which AnnOMaly so kindly posted for me, I apparently used 32°30'N, 44°24'E when I first calculated the Lunar Three intervals in 2007.
Sky View Cafe's has a drop down menu for locations, and they have Babylon at 32°33'N, 44°24'E.
My 2007 results were very close to Stephenson/Willis's. I'm just curious and would like to know what position AnnOMaly, Stephenson/Willis, and Hunger used for Babylon.
Re elevation. We don't know for sure from any contemporary writings where the Babylonian observers were standing when they took their measurements. It's often assumed that they were standing on top of a ziggurat, and there is a classical reference that says so, but John M. Steele has written that the measurements could have been taken from a building within the city, such as the temple, or even from the top of the city walls. In terms of affecting results, it doesn't make a hill of beans' worth of difference.
VM44 and others reading this thread --
AnnOMaly has started a new thread specifically about the Lunar Three measurements. I suggest we continue over there.
A short comment about the Nov. 1st Article.
The article fails in that it does NOT describe the VAT 4956 astronomical observations sufficiently well so that a reader might understand any analysis done on them!
I suspect many JWs will not even read the articles, but will simply trust that The Watchtower has fully "answered" all question concernings 607 v. 587 and that there is no reason now to delve further into the issue. (This is very likely the answer that some Elders will give in the future when asked about Ptolemy, ancient tablets, chronology, and the fall of Jerusalem.)
And remember!
Do not write to The Watchtower asking questions that have NOT already been answered in the publications.
The Watchtower staff does not have the time or resources to answer such questions.
VM44 --
I've been posting on AnnOMaly's Lunar Threes thread (see my previous post for a link), but I wanted to let you know that I am still willing to help you work through calculating the Lunar Threes on Sky View Cafe.
I am convinced that anyone who is interested could learn how to find the sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset times on SVC.
I would also be happy to show you how to use Parker & Dubberstein's tables to find the Julian dates.
As you know, I have slowed down considerably in recent years due to health problems, so I am not as fast at replying as I used to be. Just didn't want you to think that I had lost interest in helping you work through it step by step.
Of course, maybe by now you have already figured it out or have moved on to other things, which is fine, too.
Marjorie
There is an English version of Neugebauer and Weidner's "VAT 4956" translation.
The publisher was Avondale College.
However, I have not been able to locate a library that has this book in its collection.
Title: A text of astronomical observations in the 37th year of Nebucchadnezzar II ( -567/66)
Volume 67, Issue 2 of Berichte über die Verhandlungen der Königl. Sächsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig. Philologisch-historische Klasse
Authors: Paul F. Neugebauer, Paul Victor Neugebauer, Ernst Weidner
Publisher: Avondale College, 1978
Length: 114 pages
The Southwestern Adventist University lists the book in its library's catalog.
A text of astronomical observations in the 37th year of Nebucchadnezzar II (-567/66)
Authors: Paul F. Neugebauer and Ernst F. Weidner.
Imprint: Cooranbong, N.S.W., Australia : Avondale College, 1978.
Physical Description : 57 p. ; 30 cm.
General Note: Translated from German article titled: Ein astronomischer Beobachtungstext aus dem 37. Jahre Nebukhadnezars II (-567/66) published in Berichte uper die Verhandlungen der Konigl. Sachsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig: Philologigischs-historische Klasse, Ban 67, Heft 2, 1915, pp. 27-89.
An English translation of the Neugebauer and Weidner study is now available on archive.org, in case anyone's interested.
http://www.archive.org/details/EinAstronomischerBeobachtungstextAusDem37.JahreNebukadnezarsIi
Can someone recommend a Dummies book or basic 101 course or preferably a website that explains this to lesser mortals, like me?
