DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4668#0199
v.] Note on Kalendar of Babylonia. 181
according to their calculation, the total period of
the precession of the Equinoxes" (!)—a theory which,
if true, does not say much for their astronomical
skill.
There is, however, another cycle, closely connected
with that of precession, which, while suggesting the
sexagesimal measure, will be found to yield a convenient
unit for both divisions. For since the two points of
perihelion and Equinox revolve gradually in opposite
directions, they will increase their distance from each
other every year by the sum of their annual movements,
which is reckoned at about GT9", and is called the
Anomaly. Hence, neglecting the decimal of the second,
and remembering that 61" = 1' 1", and 61'=1° 1', we have
the following table :—
Period. Anomaly.
For ......... 1 year =1' 1"
= 1 (Circular) Man.
+ s'atli Min.
1 Soss = GO years = 1° 1'
lNer = 10 Soss = 600 years = 10° 10'
1 Sar = 6 Ner = 60 Soss = 3,600 years = 61°
Half Cycle = 6 Sar = 36 Ner = 360 Soss = 21,600 years = 366°
= 360° + 6°
= Circle + Jjth Circle.
= 60 x 60 Anomaly for 6 years.
Now, as the cycles of precession and perihelion are
involved in the construction of the Egyptian measures,
so also would this cycle (which is a mere deduction from
the other two) also be known; and, in fact, we find
standards of lengths in Egypt corresponding to this
cycle as to the others. Suppose then, that some visitor
according to their calculation, the total period of
the precession of the Equinoxes" (!)—a theory which,
if true, does not say much for their astronomical
skill.
There is, however, another cycle, closely connected
with that of precession, which, while suggesting the
sexagesimal measure, will be found to yield a convenient
unit for both divisions. For since the two points of
perihelion and Equinox revolve gradually in opposite
directions, they will increase their distance from each
other every year by the sum of their annual movements,
which is reckoned at about GT9", and is called the
Anomaly. Hence, neglecting the decimal of the second,
and remembering that 61" = 1' 1", and 61'=1° 1', we have
the following table :—
Period. Anomaly.
For ......... 1 year =1' 1"
= 1 (Circular) Man.
+ s'atli Min.
1 Soss = GO years = 1° 1'
lNer = 10 Soss = 600 years = 10° 10'
1 Sar = 6 Ner = 60 Soss = 3,600 years = 61°
Half Cycle = 6 Sar = 36 Ner = 360 Soss = 21,600 years = 366°
= 360° + 6°
= Circle + Jjth Circle.
= 60 x 60 Anomaly for 6 years.
Now, as the cycles of precession and perihelion are
involved in the construction of the Egyptian measures,
so also would this cycle (which is a mere deduction from
the other two) also be known; and, in fact, we find
standards of lengths in Egypt corresponding to this
cycle as to the others. Suppose then, that some visitor