Wednesday, July 19, 2006

World's oldest solar observatory?

The current issue of Archaeology [volume 59, number 4, July/August 2006] reports the excavation and reconstruction of a 7,ooo year old circular henge in Germany. Built around 4600 B.C., this wooden henge predates both Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt. Combining GPS and archaeological findings, researchers claim:
". . .the two southern gates of the henge marked the start of the summer and winter solstice, making the enclosure possibly the world's oldest solar observatory."

Saturday, July 01, 2006

New Books in Hilo

On the New Books shelf:

American Astronomical Society
2006 Membership Directory
REF QB 81 .A4 2006

ASP Conference Series 341
Chondrites and the Protoplanetary Disk
QB 758.5 .C46 C46 2005

IAU Symposioum 216
Maps of the Cosmos
QB 1 .I58 v. 216