Posted on 06/05/2006 4:27:51 PM PDT by blam
Native Americans recorded supernova explosion
16:45 05 June 2006
NewScientist.com news service
Zeeya Merali and Kelly Young
The Arizonan petroglyph may depict the supernova of 1006 AD - the star symbol is on the right and the constellation Scorpius on the left (Image: John Barentine, Apache Point Observatory)
This double-sun petroglyph at Chaco Canyon National Monument in New Mexico may depict the supernova of 4 July 1054 (Image: Mark Lansing)
There are numerous examples of rock art in the Chaco Canyon National Monument depicting celestial objects (Image: Mark Lansing)
Prehistoric Native Americans may have carved a record of a supernova explosion that appeared in the skies a millennium ago into a rock in Arizona, US.
John Barentine, an astronomer at the Apache Point Observatory in New Mexico, came across the carving while hiking in the White Tank Mountain Regional Park in Arizona.
It depicts a scorpion and an eight-pointed star. "I had just been reading about the supernova of AD 1006 and I knew it appeared in the constellation Scorpius, so the connection flashed into my mind."
To make his case, Barentine and his colleague Gilbert A. Esquerdo, at the Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, used planetarium software to recreate the sky as it would have appeared in Arizona during the supernova's appearance and overlaid it with photographs from the site.
The supernova would have been brighter than a planet, and both it and the constellation - which is shaped like a scorpion - would have appeared just above the edge of the rock, in the same orientation depicted in the carvings. Native Americans populated the region during that period and often recorded objects thought to have magical powers, says Barentine.
"It's by no means conclusive, but I think it's strong circumstantial evidence that the art depicts the supernova," says Barentine. He announced his theory at the American Astronomical Society Meeting in Calgary, in Alberta, Canada, on Monday.
Star watchers
The supernova was recorded by star watchers in Asia, the Middle-East and Europe. But until now, nobody thought that prehistoric Native Americans followed events in the sky. "I don't think enough credit has been given to the ancient Native Americans in the past, but that might change now," Barentine told New Scientist.
If the art does represent the supernova, it would provide a useful date to help work out the age of neighbouring rock carvings, which are difficult to assess by other methods, says Barentine.
But the White Tank Mountain is not the first suspected supernova petroglyph in North America. A petroglyph at Chaco Canyon National Monument in New Mexico may depict the supernova of 4 July 1054.
Another petroglyph at White Tank may also be a recording of the AD 1054 supernova. White Tank Mountain park ranger Mark Lansing says that petroglyph looks like colliding suns and is nestled in a back canyon along with pictures of other celestial objects.
"The AD 1006 petroglyph is a little more abstract," Lansing says of Barentine's find. "I'd seen his petroglyph but not really related it to the sky for 1006. He does show what the sky may have looked like in AD 1006."
Big dipper is only a piece of the Great Bear.
It looks like a snake to me, even complete with a forked tongue, and coiled ready to strike, and snakes are even more plentiful in the desert than scorpians.
Reminds me more of a slug...not sure there are many in the desert though.
My thoughts exactly. :')
yes -- and the Maya (I think it is) don't see a "Man in the Moon", they see a rabbit.
Check out my link at 49.
The unpolluted desert sky has _lots_ of stars.
Now you did it! I've got iced tea all over my monitor and keyboard. LOL!
I posted the wrong pic. But after I saw your post in my FR preview it shows up now.
The Big Dipper is only part of the constellation
Most Asians and Asian derived populations see a rabbit.
And if you were to point to it in the sky, 999 out of 1,000 Americans (at least) would call it "the Big Dipper". I think that proves my point. Even in America, even here at FR, we can't agree what that set of stars looks like. We can't even agree on which which stars and how many to include in the image of the most famous one of them all.
I'm pinging Gengis to this because I am reasonably certain he has some links detailing the great antiquity of the Vedic culture.
Unfortunately my very limited time on FR is stolen from my other life (in fact, I have to get off right now), and mostly my info is from books, not the 'net. But if Gengis doesn't show up with links, freepmail and I'll get you some info.
Here's one hint: Most languages evolved from Sanskrit. It's amazing how much is from Sanskrit, and dictionaries do not state this. They'll say Old French, or Latin, or something. But my primitive knowledge of Sanskrit informs me otherwise, plus there is much documentation of this that I have read.
Yes, many of the earliest explorers and fishermen remarked on their stature, lighter skin, blue/green eyes/ strong, straight bones "no rickets" that the Europeans were afflicted with
The Native Americans had a much better diet, got more healthy exercise and plenty of sun - (no dairy, no sugar or white flour (corn meal) only 'wild' meat, no Coca Cola _;o) ,,,no time clocks to punch - and they lived long lives...before the white man. If we paid more attention to eating the foods indigenous to the areas we lived in, got more exercise in the fresh air and sunshine - we would probably be a lot healthier.
Which strengthens my argument for contact as opposed to mystical Jungian stuff.
I love the description that some Native Americans had for the North Star 0 "the star that pins the sky in place"
My understanding is that Basque and Sumerian, among others, are independent of the indo-european cluster. Same for Turkish/Hungarian/Finnish
< engage stereotypical indian voice>
Ugh! What last thing go through frog's mind when he hit rock?
His a$$hole! Ugh! < /stereotype>
How else would they know when to plant their crops. One of the first thing man noticed were the equinoxes and solstices. Surely the Europeans that built Stonehenge ca 2,000 BC were no smarter than their brothers in the Americas.
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