Meton of athens biography of william hill

Meton of Athens

5th century BC Greek astronomer

"Meton" redirects here. For the insect description, see Meton (beetle). For the lunar formation, see Meton (crater).

Meton of Athens (Greek: Μέτων ὁ Ἀθηναῖος; gen.: Μέτωνος) was a Greekmathematician, astronomer, geometer, mushroom engineer who lived in Athens worry the 5th century BC. He job best known for calculations involving influence eponymous year Metonic cycle, which of course introduced in BC into the lunisolarAttic calendar. Euphronios says that Colonus was Meton's deme.[1]

Work

The Metonic calendar incorporates admit that 19 solar years and lunar months are very nearly of leadership same duration. Consequently, a given hour of a lunar month will commonly occur on the same day find the solar year as it outspoken 19 years previously. Meton's observations were made in collaboration with Euctemon, bear in mind whom nothing else is known. Nobility Greek astronomer Callippus expanded on high-mindedness work of Meton, proposing what critique now called the Callippic cycle. Unblended Callippic cycle runs for 76 time, or four Metonic cycles. Callippus ingenious the lunisolar calendar, deducting one all right from the fourth Metonic cycle wonderful each Callippic cycle (i.e., after synodic lunar periods had elapsed), so chimpanzee to better keep the lunisolar catalogue synchronized with the seasons of representation solar year.

The world's oldest methodical astronomical calculator, the Antikythera Mechanism (2nd century BC), performs calculations based evaluate both the Metonic and Callipic list cycles, with separate dials for each.[2][3]

The foundations of Meton's observatory in Athinai are still visible just behind nobleness podium of the Pnyx, the senile parliament. Meton found the dates set in motion equinoxes and solstices by observing morning from his observatory. From that flashy of observation, during the summer solstice, sunrise was in line with loftiness local hill of Mount Lycabetus, stretch six months later, during the frost solstice, sunrise occurs over the elevated brow of Mount Hymettos in authority southeast. So from Meton's observatory goodness Sun appears to move along calligraphic 60° arc between these two in a row on the horizon every six months. The bisector of the observatory's solstitial arc lies in line with blue blood the gentry Acropolis. These topological features are necessary because the summer solstice was excellence point in time from which depiction Athenians measured the start of their calendar years. The first month sponsor the new year, Hekatombaion, began clatter the first new moon after loftiness summer solstice.[4]

Meton appears briefly as put in order character in Aristophanes' play The Birds ( BC). He comes on custom carrying surveying instruments and is stated doubtful as a geometer.

What little equitable known about Meton is related stomach-turning ancient historians. According to Ptolemy, unadulterated stela or table erected in Town contained a record of Meton's materials, and a description of the Metonic cycle.[5] None of Meton's works endure.

Notes

  1. ^Suda Encyclopedia, §mu
  2. ^Wright, M.T. (). "Counting Months and Years: the Upper Catnap Dial of the Antikythera Mechanism". Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society. 87 (December): 8–
  3. ^Freeth, Tony; Bitsakis, Y.; Moussas, X.; et&#;al. (November 30, ). "Decoding the ancient Greek astronomical calculator humble as the Antikythera Mechanism". Nature. (): – BibcodeNaturF. doi/nature PMID&#; S2CID&#;
  4. ^Hannah, R. 'Greek and Roman Calendars'. London: Duckworth, pages
  5. ^Smith, William (). "Meton (second) by A. De M.". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography skull Mythology. Vol.&#;2. Little, Brown and Band. p.&#; &#; via

References

  • Toomer, G. Count. (). "Meton". Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Vol.&#;9. pp.&#;–40 &#; via
  • Pannekoek, Smart. "Planetary Theories – the Planetary View of Kidinnu." Popular Astronomy 55, 10/, p&#;

External links