My 5-part paper establishing the concept discussed in this article can be read HERE
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My recent article in First Post on this topic: Conflict between Archaeo-astronomy and Astronomy reveals new understanding of the Equinoxes
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The sun crosses the equator twice a year from
north to south and vice versa. This point is defined as the intersection of the
ecliptic (the apparent path of the sun which is actually the projected path of
the earth around the sun) and the celestial equator which is the projection of
earth’s equator into the celestial sphere. The intersecting point (equinox) is
supposed to be moving backward or westward. According to the theory of
precession of the equinoxes, this backward motion is perceived due to the
continuous change in the axial tilt of the earth. That is, the axial tilt of
the earth is supposed to make the sun at the equinox, appear at different
points gradually over a period of time.
Some 2000 years ago, Aries was sighted at
the backdrop. This gradually shifted backwards, by which the equinox coincided
with the star Revati (Zeta Piscium), and now at the beginning of Uttara
Bhadrapada (Algenib), at 6 degrees of Pisces (Sidereal zodiac). This movement
happens at the rate of approximately 72 years per degree of the visible sky, at
the current rate of precession.
One of the visible proofs of test for this
movement is that the structures built long ago aligned with the equinox should
not appear with the same alignment. Interestingly we do come across many
ancient structures aligned to the equinox or solstice points of today.
To begin with let me show the Gopuram (tower) of the
Padmanabha Swamy temple of Tiruvananthapuram, India, which attracts many
people on equinox days, because the sun on the equinox day can be seen exactly
crossing the middle of the Gopuram.
Padmanabhaswamy temple
Many people glorify this as an archaeological
wonder of the ancient builders. Had they built it exactly to align with the
equinox of the day (400 + years ago), how is it possible that we continue to
see the same alignment today also?
As per the axial precession theory, the
equinox cannot be sighted at the center of the tower, if it was built aligned
to the equinox of the day. If the alignment continues to be the same, it means that
the equinox occurs at the same point of the ecliptic year after year, and for
all the years since long. It then means that there is no change in the axial
tilt of the earth, or the earth’s angle with the sun. Then what causes the
precession of the equinox needs some other explanation and not the idea, that
axial precession of the earth is the cause. If the earth’s axial tilt is
changing which is what the current precession theory proposes, then we should
not be seeing the equinoctial alignment of the tower of the temple today.
Not only Padmanabha Swamy temple, there are other temples in India and many ancient monuments across the globe, built during different time periods in the past, but are found perfectly aligned with the equinox of today. There is no way to say that they are coincidental or made to give a spectacle for the 21st century people, i.e. us. Before I proceed to present them, I want to highlight that this perfect alignment is proof of ABSENCE of axial precession of the earth, a fact that has been recently noticed by a section of the scientific community while assessing the lunar data here, here and here.
It is understood that there is no change in the tropical equinoctial date in the Gregorian calendar. The spring equinox always occurs on 21st March (or 20th to 21st March). As per precession theory this date must have drifted by 5.9 days since the inception of Gregorian calendar 420 years ago, but is found to be occurring on the same date. The only adjustment done is with reference to the leap year. The days on the orbit of the earth are constant such that the equinox comes back on the same date.
The difference is with reference to
background stars which is the basis of Vedic astronomy and time keeping. There
can be only one explanation for the equinoctial sun coming to the same point in
the sky of the earth but the background star -studded space appearing to move
forward (by which the equinoctial sun is seen in front of successive westward
points in space) and that explanation is that the sun is like a moving train
with the background trees seeming to move in the opposite direction. This
movement is not caused by the inmates of the train (us / the earth, in this
analogy), but by the movement of the train (the sun).
The annual shift noticed of the
equinoctial sun in the backdrop of the stars is mistaken by western astronomy
as being caused by the trepidation of the earth, whereas we coming from the
background of Vedic astrology are originally taught by our teachers that the
sun is moving! Thousands of years of observation by
this society had taught us that the equinoctial sun moves to and fro in the
backdrop of stars – the
clarity about the frame of reference, that modern science is yet to
recognize.
This movement of the sun in the backdrop
of the stars with the internal alignment with the earth kept intact is shown in
the following illustrations. The picture
below shows the vernal equinox around 2k years ago, aligning with Asvini. Note
that the alignment between the earth and the sun remained the same.
A 1000 years after that, the background star was
different, but the earth’s alignment with the sun remained the same and the
vernal equinox had occurred around 21st March only (pic below)
The same trend continues at present too. (pic below)
When the background star is taken as the
frame of reference, precession is noticed. In the absence of axial precession
of the earth, the movement in the backdrop is possible if the entire solar
system is precessing. As the sun keeps moving across the space along with the
solar system, the background stars are drifting in the opposite direction which
is perceived as backward motion of the equinoctial sun.
The alignment between the earth and the sun had remained constant for all ages. This is proven by the numerous monuments of the old that are aligned to the equinoxes and the solstices till date. There is no substance in claiming that such monuments were built 24k years ago on the basis of the 24k precession cycle. The dating concept based on precession is redundant as per this realization that the earth’s axial tilt is not changing which implies that the earth is not behaving like a spinning top or a gyroscope – a concept that is the basis for 24k year precession. Further details on the Vedic concept of equinoctial movement can be read in my paper HERE.
Astronomical alignment of ancient
monuments not changed.
The fact that we are able to see the equinoctial sun
pass through the Gopuram of
Padmanabha Swamy temple is by itself a proof for the absence of axial
precession of the earth which further indicates null scope for the luni–solar influence
on the earth for precession.
The constancy of the date is applicable to any other
date in the year around the sun. For example the temple at Abu Simbel built by Rameses II between 1279 and 1213 B.C to celebrate his
domination of Nubia, has his image carved at a place such that the sun light
falls on King Ramses II’s face exactly on two days in the year, on February 22,
marking his coronation, and on October
22, marking his birthday. (picture below) This is being sighted for thousands
of years since he built it in this way.
This is proof of the fixed dates of the Gregorian
calendar and also the fixed alignment between the earth and the sun such that
the sunlight or sighting the sun at a particular location in the sky never
changes. This is proof for the absence of axial precession of the earth. If the
earth’s axis is drifting, the dates will change for the above phenomena and for
the equinoxes. The above information on Abu Simbel was taken out NASA
site,
that is to say that NASA had recognized the alignment, but yet to declare in
the open that this is possible
only in the absence of the concept of axial precession for the earth.
I came across a justification in this site
for the equinoctial alignment at the
Mayan pyramid of Kukulcan
(Chichen Itza) that it is ‘PRECESSIONAL CLOCK WITH ITS ALARM SET FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY’!!
Why should the Mayan toil to work out an astronomical alignment that can be
visible only after 1000 years? Mayans were not alone in this kind of alignment
there are many other similar ones.
NASA had highlighted the Kukulcan phenomenon as
follows. (Read
here)
Watch the video here:
For more than 1000 years, this alignment had not
changed. Without realizing this, we continue to believe that the earth’s axis
is precessing.
Closer home,
look at Angkor Wat
temple built at 12th century CE. On the day of equinox, the sun
rises exactly touching the central tower.
The next one I want to highlight is the famous
Stonehenge at Great Britain. The same NASA site has the following to say.
As per this version this was built between 3500 to
5000 years ago. In the 18th
century it was noticed that the sunrise on the day of the summer solstice aligned with the center of this structure.
Now 200 years after this
observation, the solstice must have moved upto 3 degrees, that is away from the
centre, but what do we see now?
The alignment continues to exist and people gather to
see the sun sink or rise at the same central part in-between the two pillars.
How is this possible if not for the absence of precession?
The next one I want to
highlight is the same phenomenon at Mnajdra temples of Malta, in the Mediterranean. I have a big story for this temple in a future video of my
Indic Past series. For now let me point out the equinoctial sun lighting
up the center of the entrance while the solstices illuminate the two apses of
this structure believed to have been built in the 4th millennium.
Graham Hancock wishes to push the date to the previous cycle of the precession circle –which if accepted would be found wanting in an explanation for the same phenomenon in other places including the Padmanabha swamy temple built 400 years ago.
Another place highlighted by the NASA site is the
pre-historic Chaco Canyon
in New Mexico showing similar astronomical alignment.
Today the equinoctial sun can be sighted exactly at
the east and west doors of the structure. (Picture below)
The sun light on the
solstice day cuts the spiral design engraved on top (Picture below).
There are many places
that one can catch up from the NASA site. I am just showing a few more before
winding up this topic.
The main structure of Grianan of Aileach of Ireland,
built in 6th or 7th century CE is a ring-fort in stone,
aligned with the equinoxes. The equinoctial sun light exactly passes through
the entrance and the sunlight cuts the arena into half as shown in the figure.
What would you say about this - made to entertain the 21st century
people or a natural phenomenon that exists for ever without any change?
Finally I want to
highlight the 7 Ahu Akivi
statues of the Easter Island. Stanford
essay states that these statues built around 1460 CE are
so located that they exactly face the spring equinox while their backs face the
autumn equinox. The link features too many other similar locations of
astronomical alignment.
Coming to India, I am of the opinion that
many of the south Indian temples must have been aligned to the equinoxes
(tropical) though for all practical purposes we follow sidereal point for
equinox. The reason for the tropical alignment can be traced to the Vaastu principles in
following ‘exact east’ (Shuddha PrAchi) for building temples and houses. The
‘exact East’ doesn’t change! Temples like Chakrapani
temple at Kumbakonam that has Uttarayana and Dakshinayana entrances,
must have been aligned to tropical positions. Trees and houses surrounding many
temples hamper any observation of such alignments.
The above samples must make people think
and come to the realization that the precession concept of the west is at the
verge of an overhaul. Anyone attempting to ‘date’ ancient texts such as
Mahabharata and Ramayana cannot rely on the western astronomy simulators that
use axial precession concept.
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