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From: kissell@flairvax.UUCP (Kevin Kissell)
Newsgroups: net.nlang.celts,net.sci,net.astro,net.physics,net.origins,net.puzzle
Subject: Re: Stonehenge Explained for K. Kissel
Message-ID: <614@flairvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 2-Jul-84 03:06:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: flairvax.614
Posted: Mon Jul  2 03:06:52 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 6-Jul-84 00:53:41 EDT
References: <141@bonnie.UUCP>
Organization: Fairchild AI Lab, Palo Alto, CA
Lines: 74

(Just because it doesn't eat *your* news doesn't mean it isn't out there)

I'd let this one pass, but it embarrasses me to see my name (misspelled) on
a subject line . (And yes, I did get Joe's wrong once upon a time.) 

> Kevin, we don't have a "white space demon" on our system. I suggest you
> ask your system administrator to exorcise it before you make any more
> sacrifices to appease it. 

We don't have one on our system either.  For example, your second posting
of your Stonehenge piece came through just fine.  Nonetheless, a significant 
number of mutilated articles pass through here every week.  Until they stop,
or until an alternative explanation is offered, I shall appease the demon.

> Kevin, do you really think boning up a bit is adequate to study this
> problem? 

In this case, I think so.  My father is an astronomer with an interest
in the subject, and so I've had my share of exposure.  Some of the particulars,
such as the 90 degree alignment business, I had forgotten.  I never said that
those guys weren't slick.  Only that there is no *astronomical* reason
of which I am aware (and nobody has posted one) for the tops of the stones
to be level.

>	Furthermore, the site of Stonehenge was chosen for its broad open
> planes, for the most part, unobstructed by trees and other irregularities of
> terrain. 

>                                                             In fact several
> authors have pointed out that the natural horizon is a bit irregular. It rises
> and falls and is obstructed by intermittant groves of trees. 
 
> Kevin, the site is ON SALIBURY PLAIN and it must be fairly flat or it
> wouldn't have been named Salisbury PLAIN! The question can be quickly settled
> by anyone who cares to look at the photographs in "Stonehenge Decoded",
> "Beyond Stonehenge" or any other book that has pictures of the site.

Make up your mind, Joe.  Better still, see for yourself.  My own photographs
show a gentle slope to the southeast, which confirms my recollection.

> Kevin, you seem to be implying that they relied on the natural horizon
> for the sighting of sunrise and sunset, moonrise and moonset. 

Why not?  Every indication is that the objective was to determine what
*day* the sun/moon rose on a particular arc, not what *minute*.

>                                            Midsummer sunrise is observed
> over the TOP OF THE HEEL STONE. 

Yes, the Heel Stone, which is *outside* the ditch and circle, and which is
*not* level with the stones of the circle.  Its importance was not its height
but the position of it's tip with respect to the edges of the standing stones
in the circle.

> Kevin, I used the word "curragh" for a very good reason. "Curragh" or "corwgl"
> is probably the word used by the builders of Stonehenge. "Coracle" is a
> modern English corruption of the word. 

Joe, I used "coracle" because that is the English word that people can use to 
look it up in an encylopedia or dictionary.  I'm sure it sounds nice in Gaelic,
but I don't speak Gaelic. 

Anyway, Stonehenge is a real wonderful thing and it's a shame they won't let
you run around inside the circle anymore.

Kevin D. Kissell
Fairchild Research Center
Advanced Processor Development
uucp: {ihnp4 decvax}!decwrl!\
                             >flairvax!kissell
    {ucbvax sdcrdcf}!hplabs!/

"Any closing epigram, regardless of truth or wit, grows galling
 after a number of repetitions"