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Next lunar eclipse based on Greenwich. 28th Oct 04.
Moon enters penumbra 00.05.29 Alt 50 deg.
                        umbra      01.14.19
              Start totality        02.23.21
                         Max         03.04.00
              End totality         03.44.37
              leaves umbra     04.53.39
          leaves penumbra   06.02.38 Alt 8 deg.

Geoffrey Kolbe's idea seem interesting although I for one would have thought
lunar occulation might just have been an easier method of determining
longitude in ancient times if based on hindsight; i.e.comparing data on
returning to base.  Certainly such events occur slightly more frequently.
Ted Gerrard,
Broadford, Skye, Scotland.
Phone 01471 820 161
tedgerrard@onetel.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dr. Geoffrey Kolbe" 
To: 
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2004 10:34 AM
Subject: Re: 1421 The year China discovered longitude


> There has been much speculation on this thread about how the
Chinese/Greeks
> could have found longitude using a lunar eclipse - and even doubts if they
> could have done it at all.
>
> A historian would doubtless say that since we have no knowledge of the
> techniques they used, we cannot speculate on the sort of apparatus they
> might have used or the accuracy they could have attained in measuring
> longitude. To do so would be imposing our Western Cultural thinking on a
> society who did not think like we do or even see the world the same way we
do.
>
> Well, I am not a historian. I think it would interesting and fun for some
> members of this list to think about how the ancients might have gone about
> this and then actually try and measure their relative longitudes using
> methods developed individually or collectively. I even think it would be
> interesting enough to write up the endeavor for publication.
>
> I don't have an almanac to hand at this time, but it would seem that the
> next lunar eclipse will occur on 28th October this year at around 03:45
hrs
> GMT.
>
> Anyone else interested?
>
> Geoffrey Kolbe

   

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