The recent correspondence on meridian alignments has been interesting
but I agree with Andrew James that the 'da
Vinci code' should have the health warning. How far back do we wish to go with the situation regarding the 'prime
meridian'? Since the time of Ptolemy (the
Almagest man) and through the medieval period a large number of positions have
been used by all sorts of authorities - nearly all somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean,
going through the Canaries, various distances to the west of the Cape Verde
Islands, etc. Popes have got involved, usually trying to satisfy the competing
claims of The 1880 date quoted is wrong. The Washington Conference of October 1884
agreed that the Tony Ashmore. -----Original Message----- I think perhaps the double use of the word "meridian" lies at
the root of this confusion. From its antecedent word meridies - the middle of
the day - we see how it means a line for determining time of noon and that is local noon wherever it may be situated, be it Saint Sulpice, or its highest, noon, at the same time, as a base for measurement or
"prime meridian" is another matter, for that could be done without
reference to the Sun at all, for example with the required North - South line being established by the stars from any suitably equipped place - In this day and age perhaps "The Da Vinci Code" should have a
very big notice on the cover warning that it is not entirely composed of verifiable facts! The curious thing is that (as I understand) there are already many books commenting on it and many reviewers - let alone members of the public - seem to accept its allegedly historical background and interpretations as more or less scholarly truth, however poorly they may stand up to scrutiny. I am sure, Roger, that you are
not the only one to be confused by it but at least you can recognise an embellishment! Andrew James Roger Bailey wrote: snip <<The Saint-Surplice meridian is a key element in the best
selling novel "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. >> snip <<This confused me as I expected the Paris Meridian to go
through the Observatory of Paris ... The meridians are quite different but the novel brings them together. This is not the only fact embellished by
the author to set the plot for his novel.>> PRI Limited, PRI House, SO23 7RX Tel: +44 (0) 1962 840048 Fax: +44 (0) 1962 841046 www.pri.co.uk
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- RE: alignment - Saint Sulpice Andrew James
- RE: Meridian alignments Sundials