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Astronomical Feats

The Maya did not have telescopes, measuring devices, clocks, or even the use of fractions, and yet they were very accurate in determining astronomical constants. Much of what they knew about the sky was recorded in the form of myth and religious story.

The Tree of Life is thought to be a depiction of the Milky Way galaxy. The story of the Hero Twins (see Chapter 2) describes the change of Venus from the morning star position to evening star position and back again. The changing of the previous ages may be a description of the precession of the equinoxes.

What Did the Maya Actually Know?

From the Dresden Codex it’s apparent the Maya knew a considerable amount about our solar system and galaxy. Here’s a quick list of some of the astronomical details the ancient Maya knew. If you don’t know what some of these things are, take a peek at Chapters 6 and 7 where we explain what these concepts mean and why they are important to 2012:

◆ The ecliptic path of the constellations

◆ The length, rising, and elongation of the orbit of Venus, Earth, and other planets

◆ The timing of the solstices, equinoxes, and zenith passage of the sun

◆ The solar sunspot cycle

◆ The exact length of the solar year

Codex Cues

The Mayan solar year was estimated to be 365.2420 days minus an error of .0002. Our calendar calculates it as 365.2425 plus an error of .0003.

◆ The length of the precession of the equinox

◆ The wobble and tilt of the earth

◆ The galaxy arrangement (they depicted the galaxy as a whirling disc, indicating they knew it is a spiral galaxy and arranged along a planar axis)

◆ Where our solar system is located in relation to the galactic plane

Crossed Sticks and Other Devices

Some of the celestial information of the Maya was obtained through careful observation with simple sighting devices and procedures. Illustrations in the Dresden Codex and in building murals show astronomers using three devices: a cross-staff device, a simple pole in the ground, and a tube sighting device.

The cross-staff device was likely used to estimate angular distances between objects in the sky. It could have determined information such as the maximum elongation of a planet’s orbit. It worked by sighting along the staff through the ends of a crosspiece. This was a common device of pre-technology astronomers and was used around the world.

Celestial Connection

Greek astronomers at Alexandria produced the first catalog of star positions in 284 B.C.E. using a cross-staff. In Medieval Europe, an improved version used a cross that slides along the staff base, allowing for adjustments in angle and distance. This was called “Jacob’s staff” and was used as a navigational instrument for sailors well into the eighteenth century.

A pole in the ground was an easy way to measure the zenith passages, the days when the sun travels directly overhead. In the Maya region, the sun stands directly overhead at noon twice each year, in May and July. A pole in the ground or a standing stone was all that was needed to establish the zenith. The Maya used standing stones, which were adjusted to true vertical with a plumb line. When the sun was directly overhead, the stone cast no shadow.

The Maya also used a vertical zenith tube in the roof of buildings or in a cave-roof or dug-out hole in the ground. A vertical tube could be used to determine the zenith passages of planets as well. In some locations, artificial caves were dug and installed with a tube feature. A good example of this is Monte Alban in Oaxaca. The ancient astronomers crouched in the dug-out cave, looking through the tube for the passage of celestial objects. When the planet, sun, or moon filled the hole, the object was at its zenith. The Maya Madrid Codex illustrates this “advanced” observational technique.

Line of Sight

The Maya used their temples and buildings as simple “line-of-sight” observatories. A long line of sight is an important feature in determining events