Sun in the Church: Cathedrals as Solar Observatories

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Our Price: $25.00

Year: 1999
Pages: 366
Binding Paperback
ISBN 674854330

Product Code: 756771323

Description

J. L. Heilbron (au). The Roman Catholic Church gave more financial & social support to the study of astronomy for over six cent., from the recovery of ancient learning during the late Middle Ages into the Enlighten’t., than any other institution. The Church was very concerned about establishing the date of Easter. The key parameter in the Easter calculation was the time of return of the sun to the same equinox. The most powerful way of measuring this cycle was to lay out a “meridian line” from south to north in a large dark building with a hole in its roof & observe how long the sun’s noon image took to return to the same spot on the line. The most convenient such buildings were cathedrals. “A fascinating book on the history of the Church’s interest in astronomy.” Color photos.

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