Maya observations of 13$^{{\rm th}}$ century transits of Venus?

Trejo, Jesús Galindo; Allen, Christine

doi:10.1017/s1743921305001328

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…These facts make the Maya a prime candidate for acquisition of sunspot data. The very first suggestion that the Maya may have observed sunspots came from Galindo Trejo and Allen in 2005 [24]. The Fresco Hall, at the southern end of the Central Plaza of the Post-Classic Mayapan ruins, shows descending personages inside Sun circles of various panels.…”

Section: Background: the Larger Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Mesoamerican Naked-eye Observation of Sunspots - VI: Evidence from Yaxchilan Lintel 48

Zito¹

2017

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Many pre-telescopic naked-eye observations of large sunspot displays exist in the historical records. The most famous of these observations come from China, Japan, Korea, and Greece, but other cultures have made them as well. Pictorial evidence on dated monuments suggests that naked-eye sunspot displays may have been recorded in Mesoamerica as well. In this regard, Yaxchilan Lintel 48 is of particular interest. After a century long gap in naked-eye sunspot observations from Asia, an outstanding cluster of events began in 499 AD and terminated on April 7, 513. Within 5 years of this latter date, Joy b'alam (Knot-eye Jaguar I) was captured and, following an interregnum, K'inich Tatb'u (Skull II; Knot-eye's brother) ascended the throne in 526. In retrospect, Mayan priests might have associated the sunspot displays with the change in political power, and recorded their observations on historical Lintel 48, dated to 526 AD, by the device of a spotted Sun God.

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Section: Background: the Larger Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Mesoamerican Naked-eye Observation of Sunspots - VI: Evidence from Yaxchilan Lintel 48

Zito¹

2017

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“…Prueba de ello, son las pinturas datadas con técnicas de radiocarbono de entre el año 1200 y 1350 a.n.e., que se en-cuentran plasmadas en un muro de un edificio ubicado en la plaza central de la ciudad de Mayapán en el estado de Yucatán, México. En la construcción, orientada respecto a la trayectoria del planeta Venus, se encuentra la llamada Sala de los Frescos, en donde se aprecian unos personajes que representan a este planeta, y que van descendiendo por el interior de imágenes del Sol, por lo que se infiere sean un registro del tránsito del año de 1275 [2].…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Ángel Anguiano, director del observatorio astronómico nacional de chapultepec y la construcción social en torno a la observación del tránsito de venus por enfrente del disco solar en 1882

Zueck

2021

Rev. Mex. Fis. E

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La investigación examina la gestión del ingeniero civil y arquitectoÁngel Anguiano, director de la agencia estatal el Observatorio Astronómico Nacional de Chapultepec, quien durante el periodo presidencial del general Manuel González Flores, obtuvo considerables recursos económicos para modernizar el observatorio e insertarlo en la comunidad científica internacional. Mostramos que, a la par de haber sido contratado para contribuir en un mapa más preciso de la república mexicana, persuadió a la burocracia del presidente González para que patrocinaran su participación en la colaboración en torno a la observación del tránsito de Venus por enfrente del disco solar en el año de 1882 y calcular la distancia de la Tierra al Sol. Revelamos su habilidad para negociar con los funcionarios públicos la compra de modernos instrumentosópticos, y su liderazgo para organizar delegaciones nacionales y diplomáticas a fin de albergar una comisión francesa. Las fuentes primarias de información las obtuvimos en documentos oficiales nacionales y franceses que evidencian el establecimiento de redes científicas capitalizadas rápidamente. Demostramos que la participación del Observatorio Astronómico Nacional se debió a queÁngel Anguiano ansiaba pertenecer al selecto círculo intelectual de la astronomía internacional e incursionar en las nuevas rutas de la astronomía propuestas por el grupo hegemónico francés, y no a una política científica de estado.

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“…These facts, together with the close proximity of the southwestern U.S. (the author's location) to Mayan archaeological sites, and the great store of Mayan artifacts in American museums, makes the Maya a prime target for acquisition of sunspot data. The very first suggestion that the Maya may have observed sunspots came from Galindo Trejo and Allen in 2005 [28]. The Fresco Hall, at the southern end of the Central Plaza of the Post-Classic Mayapan ruins, shows descending personages inside Sun circles of various panels.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Mesoamerican Naked-eye Observation of Sunspots - V: Evidence from Río Azul Tomb I Murals and Related Artifacts

Zito¹

2016

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Many cultures of antiquity have made naked-eye observations of large sunspot displays. The Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, and Greeks, have all made such observations. Pictorial evidence on dated Mesoamerican monuments suggests that similar observations may have been made in the New World as well. In this regard, Tomb 1 at Río Azul is of particular interest. Within the tomb, murals depict a spotted Sun God as the "father" of Tikal king "Curl Snout" (Yax Nuun Ayiin I). Therefore, the murals of Tomb 1 corroborate the information gleaned from Stela 31. However, the iconography at Río Azul is more explicit, with the Sun God displaying two Kin signs on his head. As in the previous report on Stela 31, the spotted Sun God is probably a reference to the naked eye sunspot series terminating in 400 AD that presaged the end of Curl Snout's life in 404 AD.

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Maya observations of 13$^{{\rm th}}$ century transits of Venus?

Cited by 7 publications

References 2 publications

Possible Mesoamerican Naked-eye Observation of Sunspots - VI: Evidence from Yaxchilan Lintel 48

Possible Mesoamerican Naked-eye Observation of Sunspots - VI: Evidence from Yaxchilan Lintel 48

Ángel Anguiano, director del observatorio astronómico nacional de chapultepec y la construcción social en torno a la observación del tránsito de venus por enfrente del disco solar en 1882

Possible Mesoamerican Naked-eye Observation of Sunspots - V: Evidence from Río Azul Tomb I Murals and Related Artifacts

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