Posted by Gary on March 14, 1999 at 12:04:39 {MW9hQZt3yw8IU}:
Dear Carl,
Since you're reconsidering Lines 3 and 14 of the VAT4956, I can see we need to coordinate our observations a bit. So instead of changing the dates around for local Honolulu time, I have made the below observations in Universal time thus the date doesn't change.
DEBATE POINTS:
Please note that I am not arguing about the Honolulu versus Babylon locations. You can choose to use Babylon if you want. I choose not to. At which point we simply
disagree.
Please note that I assign "the rear foot of the Line" in Line 3 to Sigma-Leonis and "the bright star at the end of the Lion's foot" in Lines 14 and 18 to Beta-Virginis. SACHS/HUNGER incorrectly assigned Line 3 to Beta-Virginis. If you agree with him, that's your choice, in which case, we simply disagree.
But based upon those adjustments, I find completely compatibility with what the text describes in Lines 3 and 14 with what is observed in 511BCE. For sure, the observations do not fit 568BCE under any circumstances unless you change the text. But that's another issue.
Below therefore, are the rechecked dates for universal time for Lines 3, 14 and 18.
You should be able to come up with the same observations with your Skymap program.
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:
When you first bring up Skymap, the default should be London time.
First, punch in the new longitude of 157 deg 52 min West, and the new latitude of 32 deg 53 min North.
Then you can begin to look at the three dates for 568BCE and 511BCE.
Line 3: Nisan 9, 568 or 511BCE is April 30th; sunset is around 0500 hours.
Line-14: Simanu 5, 568 or 511BCE is June 24th; sunset is around 0530 hours.
Line-18: Simanu 15, July 4, 568BCE; sunset around 0530 hours.
Gary