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Full-Text Articles in Astrophysics and Astronomy
A New Archaeoastronomical Investigation Of The Irish Axial-Stone Circles, Frank T. Prendergast, Clive L. Ruggles
A New Archaeoastronomical Investigation Of The Irish Axial-Stone Circles, Frank T. Prendergast, Clive L. Ruggles
Conference Papers
This paper presents the preliminary results of a project undertaken in 1994 to investigate the astronomical potential of the axial-stone circles (ASCs) of seven or more stones in Counties Cork and Kerry, south-west Ireland. This group of sites is of particular interest in that the monuments in the group bear a striking resemblance to the recumbent stone circles (RSCs) of Aberdeenshire, eastern Scotland, which appear to exhibit a strong pattern of alignment in relation to prominent hilltop summits and the rising and setting position of the moon. The first indications from the Irish data are that similar patterns of alignment …
Shadow Casting Phenomena At Newgrange, Frank Prendergast
Shadow Casting Phenomena At Newgrange, Frank Prendergast
Articles
A digital model of the Newgrange passage tomb and surrounding ring of monoliths known as the Great Circle is used to investigate sunrise shadow casting phenomena at the monument. Diurnal variation in shadow directions and lengths are analysed for their potential use in the Bronze Age to indicate the passage of seasonal time. Computer-aided simulations are developed from a photogrammetric survey to accurately show how three of the largest monoliths, located closest to the tomb entrance and archaeologically coded GC1, GC-1 and GC-2, cast their shadows onto the vertical face of the entrance kerbstone, coded K1. The phenomena occur at …