On the basis of an alternate PM, St. Petersburg (~33 deg E) looks the best
bet, with Alexandria (~30 deg E) and Jerusalem (~35 deg E) as
possibilities. According to wikipedia all were previously used.
Original Message:
-----------------
From: Christian Steyaert [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 20:52:47 +0200
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: strange longitude
At 20:48 21/04/2007, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>John, Frank --
>
>Is it possible that a prime meridian other than Greenwich was used for some
>quirky reason? It seems unlikely since Greenwich was well established by
>the date mentioned, but dial makers have occasionally defied reason ;-)
Paris Longitude?
Chris
>Tom Kreyche
>
>
>Original Message:
>-----------------
>From: JOHN DAVIS [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 19:37:53 +0100 (BST)
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: strange longitude
>
>
>Hi Frank et al,
>
> That's an interesting one! I make Hawkshead about 3 deg. W of Greenwich
>so assuming the second figure is a longitude difference, that would put the
>location as approx 38deg 44' E or 32deg 44' W relative to the Prime
>Meridian.
>
> My first guess was that an eastern location was the most likely, with
>Jerusalem or Constantinople (Istanbul) being the places most commonly found
>on dials or old maps. But Jerusalem is 35deg 10' and Constantinople is
>only 29deg. Old longitudes are often wildly inaccurate but by 1845 they
>should have been within a few arcminutes.
>
> The PL initials are new to me - how about 'Palestine' or some varient?
>
> Nowhere is South America or Greenland looks attractive for an eastern
>location.
>
> So I'm stumped for the moment!
>
> Regards,
>
> John
> ------------------------------------------------
>
>Frank Evans <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Greetings, fellow dialists,
>Reference the sundial on the Old Grammar School, Hawkshead, Cumbria,
>England. The school is a museum, famous as the place of William
>Wordsworth's education. Over the door is a fine dial dated 1845 with
>stated co-ordinates, latitude "54 deg. 22 min. 10 sec." and longitude
>"PL 35 deg. 43 min. 40 sec."
>
>The latitude appears to refer to the correct location but the longitude
>is a puzzle which the museum curator was unable to explain. Longitude
>eastward of Greenwich lands in an unremarked location in the middle of
>Russia but westward takes us close to Recife, formerly Pernambuco,
>Brazil. No significant place on the coast there (lighthouse, etc) fits
>but I am wondering if there is or was an observatory in or near the
>middle of the town. And what can the letters PL mean?
>Any suggestions for this strange longitude citing?
>Frank, 55N 1W
>
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