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The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

phys.org

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Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#11

Post by dmbche »

readthenotes1 wrote: post #10
dmbche wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems incredibly clever - and I realise that I assumed they weren't aware of most planets since they're hard to see today, but I'm sure they were very noteworthy event in the pristine sky they were looking at.

Those planets are much easier to see without light pollution. All but Neptune* can be seen by the naked eye. (Shamelessly abusing the classification of Pluto as a dwarf planet here to exclude it from the conversation). Uranus: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/07/starwatch-op...

You remind me that I wanted to book an airBnB in one of the parks near me, they have an observatory and as such the sky is legally required to be untainted - I haven't seen the milky way in almost 10 years, I can't imagine seeing the stars every night.

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#12

Post by throwaway81523 »

steve_adams_86 wrote: post #4
jutrewag wrote: post #2

[flagged]

Odd, all I can think of in contrast of this supposition is how many women’s accomplishments in history have been subdued or co-opted by men. There is plenty of evidence of that, but none I can think of to confirm the ham-fisting you’re describing.

The mention of a $26 article from Cambridge University Press immediately made me think of a woman, Alexandra Elbakyan. Heh.

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#16

Post by avodonosov »

Any divider of 819 also aligns.

> And 13 cycles of Saturn's 378-day synodic period adds up to 4,914 days, which is the same as six times 819.

6 * 819 = 6 * (3 * 273) = 18 * 273.

All integers that divide 819: 1, 3, 7, 9, 13, 21, 39, 63, 91, 117, 273, 819

How this hypothesis explains why 819 was preferred over those other numbers?

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#17

Post by sammalloy »

dmbche wrote: post #11
readthenotes1 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those planets are much easier to see without light pollution. All but Neptune* can be seen by the naked eye. (Shamelessly abusing the classification of Pluto as a dwarf planet here to exclude it from the conversation). Uranus: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/nov/07/starwatch-op...

You remind me that I wanted to book an airBnB in one of the parks near me, they have an observatory and as such the sky is legally required to be untainted - I haven't seen the milky way in almost 10 years, I can't imagine seeing the stars every night.

Before the light pollution got really bad where I live due to development, provided it wasn’t cloudy, I could see the Milky Way every night for about 15 years. Now, it’s gone due to lax rules and regulations due to commercial security light fixtures which throw light in all direction at night to deter thieves. It’s pretty upsetting, but even worse, most people I talk to don’t even notice it’s gone. That’s almost more disturbing that the light pollution. We’ve lost something that most people aren’t aware they lost in the first place.

Re: The Mayan calendar might represent a longer timescale than previously considered

#20

Post by aeturnum »

fjfaase wrote: post #3

This implies that the Mayan must have been recording the positions of the planets with great accuracy over a rather long period of time, probably spanning several generations.

Yes, absolutely. The Maya are generally thought to have been 'around'[1] for ~1450 years.

[1] Of course, Mayan people still exist (and continue to carry their culture), but this is about the civilization.

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