[cripplecreek]

How did they determine the dates of those astronomical events?

I've never understood why this is supposed to be some kind of great mystery when the answer is simple.

They were observant people in a world without the distractions we have and they needed to know these things. It only took a few years after I move into where I live now to note where the sun sets and moon rises throughout the year.

If I stand facing south with my shoulder against the southeast corner of my porch on the shortest day of the year, the sun sets almost perfectly at the peak of the garage across the lake from me.

[colorado tanker]

They were observant people in a world without the distractions we have and they needed to know these things

Exactly. With no TV, no books, no mall . . . the best show is in the sky. And with no light pollution, the night sky is quite a show.

[FroggyTheGremlim]

For the sun, all you need is a year or two of observations.

The moon is more difficult - I think it's a 19-year cycle. So to get two of them, you would need 38 years.

Don't ask me about Uranus!

[Ditter]

On the longest day of the year the setting sun comes into my north facing window at an angle and shines on my stove top.

Years ago we were driving through the country near Paint RockTexas and we went off the main highway to see some pictographs. I can't imagine that we went onto private property to see them and I can't remember how we knew they were there.