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Space Today Logo
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Good afternoon. This is Space Today,
XXXXX reporting.
Opening Title and Music
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Today we are going to talk about
Archaeoastronomy.
Archaeoastronomy is:
• The investigation of the astronomical
knowledge of prehistoric cultures.
• Archaeoastronomy is the study of
how people in the past “have
understood the phenomena in the sky,
how they used these phenomena and
what role the sky played in their
cultures.”
Archaeoastronomy Title
Today astronomers use sophisticated
instruments and observatories to study
and measure the Sun, planets, stars and
much, much more.
Ancient peoples watched the skies as
well, building observatories such as
Stonehenge and recording movements
of planets and stars for hundreds of
years.
Observatory photo
Archaeoastronomy definition
Stonehenge
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Today we are going to learn about the
astronomical observations made by the
Maya and the tools they used to make
these observations, such as this
observatory at Chichen Itza (Cheechin-eat-Za).
The Maya of the Classic Period lived
in Mesoamerica in the countries of
Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and
Belize. The Classic Period lasted from
250 – 900 AD and during this time the
Maya made many important
astronomical observations. Their
observations were important for their
calendar, agricultural planting cycles,
ceremonial and religious festivals and
planning dates for battles.
One important star for the Maya was
the sun. The Sun was very important to
the ancient Maya. The Maya Sun God
was Kinich Ahau (Kin-eesh Ahhow). They tracked the movements of
the sun over hundreds of years and
were able to make predictions, all
without the aid of modern technology.
How exactly did the Maya make such
accurate measurements without
telescopes?
Media
El Caracol Observatory at
Chichen Itza
Mesoamerica Map
Sun and Glyph
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Let’s travel to the site of Caracol
(Cara-cole) in Belize. This group of
buildings is called the “E-group” by
archaeologists. E groups were designed
to map the movement of the sun at the
equinoxes and solstices.
By tracking the movement of the sun
as it would rise the Maya were able to
determine things such as the cardinal
directions (North, South, East and
West) as well as the solstices and the
equinoxes.
The Maya had glyphs for each of the
cardinal directions and the
determination of these directions was
important for ceremonial and religious
purposes.
Media
E- Group at Caracol
E- group diagram with all 3 sun
locations
Cardinal Direction Glyphs
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The solstices are the days with the
most time between sunrise and sunset
or with the least time between the two.
The summer solstice is the day with the
most time between sunrise and set. And
the winter solstice is the day with the
least. A Maya observer watching from
the same location over many years
would have noticed that the sun does
not rise in the same location every day.
The sun always rises in the east and on
the summer solstice it rises in its most
northeast position.
We used our Sundial Exploration
Station to create this birds-eye view of
the sun rise on the summer solstice as
the Maya people at Caracol (Cara-cole)
would see it. These white buildings
represent the buildings of the E-Group.
The orange pole is our Maya observer.
Notice the southwest direction of the
shadow being cast by the sun of our
observer.
The winter solstice is the day of the
year with the least amount of time
between sunrise and sunset. On the
winter solstice, the sun rises in its most
southeast position.
Media
Graphic of sunrise at E-group on
summer solstice
Sundial image of summer
solstice
Graphic of sunrise at E-group on
winter solstice
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From our birds-eye view we can see
that the sun is now casting the
observer’s shadow in a northwest
direction.
On the two equinoxes day and night
are of equal length; around 12 hours.
Twice a year on the equinoxes the sun
rises directly in the east.
Again from our birds-eye view we can
see that the sun is casting the
observer’s shadow directly west.
The tropics are the band around the
equator where the sun will pass directly
overhead. We call the position in the
sky directly overhead the Zenith. This
occurs from 23.5° north of the equator
to 23.5° south of the equator. The
location of the Maya in the tropics
allowed them to make very accurate
measurements of solar cycles because
the sun passes directly overhead at high
noon twice a year.
Media
Sundial image of winter solstice
Graphic of sunrise at E-group on
winter solstice
Sundial image of winter solstice
Tropic latitude graphic
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The accomplishments of these early
astronomers seem incredible, but what
they lacked in sophisticated
technology, they made up by patient
observing over long periods of time
and simple instruments such as the
zenith tube. By observing the sun
through the zenith tube on the two
occasions a year that it passes directly
overhead, very accurate timing could
be achieved. On the left is a vertical
zenith sighting tube from the site of
Xochicalco (Show-she-cal-co) in
Mexico. On the right is the structure
that allows access to its other end
underground. Careful observation
would have set the sun-transit time to a
minute or so.
Returning to our birds-eye view, we
can see that on the summer solstice and
winter solstice the sun would cast a
shadow down the zenith tube at high
noon.
Twice a year at high noon the sun
would be directly overhead, shining
down with no shadow on the zenith
tube. These two events would be equal
spaced in time around the summer
solstice.
Media
Zenith tube image
Sundial image Xenith Solstices
Sundial image Xenith Equinox
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The Maya were able to make
incredibly accurate measurements of
astronomical cycles just with these
simple techniques. By comparing the
records of the Maya against our
modern calculations we notice that
Maya calculations are extremely
accurate. Note that they knew the year
to within 2 seconds of its actual time.
You too can observe the sun, moon and
other objects in the sky in your own
backyard without a telescope or other
equipment. Stand in the same place
every day at sunrise for a few weeks
and record your observations of where
the sun rises. Remember; never look
directly into the sun.
Explore our Sundial Exploration
Station to learn more about the
movements of the sun and what you
can observe in your own backyard.
Don’t forget to check out our current
temporary exhibition, Maya: Hidden
Worlds Revealed while you are here to
learn more about the Classic Period
Maya. In the exhibit you can see over
250 spectacular artifacts, print your
birthdate in Maya glyphs, build a
corbeled arch, and much more.
Media
Maya observations of sun, lunar
and Venus cycles vs. modern
calculations
Sunrise over city
Sundial Exploration Station
Maya exhibit slide
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And that’s this episode of Space
Today!
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