On Tue 2005-01-25T09:57:46 +0000, Clive D.W. Feather hath writ: > I think you're out by a factor of 10. Would the Man On The Clapham Omnibus > be able to identify the solstice or equinox to within 14 days? Other than > knowing the "conventional" dates? > > [That is, if the equinox was actually on March 9th, would anyone outside > the astronomical community notice?]
The answer is in Duncan Steel's book "Marking Time" http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0471298271.html The answer is yes, and it is evident in the orientation of churches in England built before and after the English calendar reform in 1752. Churches were built oriented to sunrise on their saint's day. In 1752 the calendar shifted, and sunrise shifted. Additions made to pre-reform churches were oriented to sunrise on the new saint's day. The result was "crooked churches". Steel counts 81 such churches within Oxfordshire alone. -- Steve Allen UCO/Lick Observatory Santa Cruz, CA 95064 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Voice: +1 831 459 3046 http://www.ucolick.org/~sla PGP: 1024/E46978C5 F6 78 D1 10 62 94 8F 2E 49 89 0E FE 26 B4 14 93