Astronomical/astrological chart

Claim 2

In an astronomical chart and celestial mapping system for locating the longitudinal positions of astronomical objects and time as viewed from earth along the ecliptic and for deriving astronomical, astrological, and navigational information based thereon, such a chart having time measured along the first axis and longitudinal position measured along a second axis, with each of the objects being represented by a line that specifies its longitudinal position as a function of time, the improvement wherein the line corresponding to a first of said objects is repeated at a fixed longitudinal displacement from itself to generate a harmonic reproduction of said line, said longitudinal displacement being an integral submultiple of 360 degrees such that the intersection of said harmonic reproduction with the line corresponding to a second of said objects signifies a particular angular relationship between said first and second objects.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 in which a two-dimensional reproduction of the stars located in a band about the ecliptic is extended along said second axis defining longitudinal position so that the position of one of said objects may be observed in relation to the actual configuration of the stars.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1 wherein said axes have respective termination points at a longitudinal position and time corresponding to the vernal equinox, thus permitting sidereal and tropical time information to be extracted from the same chart.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 1 wherein one of the objects is the earth's sun, and further comprising a separate relatively movable scale commensurate with said second axis and graduated in time with a 360 degree longitude interval corresponding to a 24-hour interval, said scale having marks indicative of hourly time thereon, one mark of which corresponds to noon, such that when said scale is placed on said chart parallel to said second axis at a position along said first axis corresponding to a particular day in question with said mark indicative of noon being superimposed on said line corresponding to the sun, the approximate time of day for the upper meridian transit of a given object is given by the intersection of the line corresponding to said given object with said scale.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 1 wherein calendar time measured along said first axis is with respect to local time on the west coast of the United States so that for longitudinal positions corresponding to 0000 hours on a given calendar date, all major populated areas throughout the world have a local time characterized by the same calendar date.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 1 wherein said objects include the group of seven objects comprising the sun, the moon, and the five planets visible with the naked eye, wherein each of the group of seven objects is uniquely associated with a particular day of the week and a particular color, wherein the line for a given object of said group of seven objects has superimposed thereon indicia carrying the given object's corresponding color at time coordinates corresponding to the given object's corresponding day.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 1 wherein said objects include the sun and the moon, and wherein harmonic reproductions are provided at 90 degree intervals for the line corresponding to the sun such that intersections of the line corresponding to the moon with said line corresponding to the sun and 90 degrees harmonic reproductions thereof define the phases of the moon.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 7, also having thereon a line corresponding to the longitudinal position of the moon's node as a function of time to permit the prediction of the occurrence of solar and lunar eclipses by ascertaining whether the points on the chart defining new moon and full moon fall within predetermined longitudinal distances of the moon's node at the time corresponding to the new moon and full moon.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 1 also comprising a relatively movable rule commensurate with said second axis and having indicia of longitude corresponding to said second axis.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 3 wherein one of the objects is the earth's sun and wherein said second axis has indicia measuring longitude in terms of tropical longitude, equatorial longitude, and sidereal time along the ecliptic, such that the alignment of the sun's position on the ecliptic longitude scale with the sidereal time scale determines the actual sidereal hour at noon, standard time, and also provides the upper meridian passage of a given object in hours and degrees right ascension.

Claim 12

An astronomical chart presenting a celestial mapping system for locating the longitudinal and time positions of astronomical objects including the sun, the moon, and at least one planet within the earth's solar system as viewed from earth along the ecliptic and for deriving astronomical, astrological, and navigational information based thereon by allowing the user to associate standard time notation and calendar notation with astronomical phenomena and then relate this astronomical phenomena directly to local hour language, said chart having time measured along a first axis and longitudinal position measured along a second axis, each of said axes having a respective termination point at a longitudinal position and time corresponding to the vernal equinox, a two-dimensional reproduction of the stars located in a band about the ecliptic being extended along said second axis, with each of the objects being represented by a primary line that specifies its longitudinal position as a function of time, and at least one secondary line displaced from said primary line by a fixed longitudinal displacement to generate a harmonic reproduction of said primary line, said longitudinal displacement being an integral submultiple of 360 degrees such that the intersection of the secondary line of a first of said objects with the primary line of a second of said objects signifies a particular angular relationship between said first and second objects.

Claim 13

An astronomical chart presenting a celestial mapping system for locating the longitudinal and time positions of astronomical objects including the sun, the moon, and at least one planet within the earth's solar system as viewed from earth along the ecliptic and for deriving astronomical, astrological, and navigational information based thereon by allowing the user to associate standard time notation and calendar notation with astronomical phenomena and then relate this astronomical phenomena directly to local hour language, said chart having time measured along a first axis and longitudinal position measured along a second axis, each of said axes having a respective termination point at a longitudinal position and time corresponding to the vernal equinox, a two-dimensional reproduction of the stars located in a band about the ecliptic being extended along said second axis, with each of the objects being represented by a primary line that specifies its longitudinal position as a function of time, and at least one secondary line displaced from said primary line by a fixed longitudinal displacement to generate a harmonic reproduction of said primary line, said longitudinal displacement being an integral submultiple of 360 degrees such that the intersection of the secondary line of a first of said objects with the primary line of a second of said objects signifies a particular angular relationship between said first and second objects.

Claim 14

In an astronomical chart and celestial mapping system for locating the longitudinal positions of astronomical objects and time as viewed from the earth along the ecliptic and for deriving astronomical, astrological, and navigational information based thereon, such a chart having time measured along a first axis and longitudinal position measured along a second axis, with each of the objects being represented by a line that specifies its longitudinal position as a function of time, the improvement wherein: said axes have respective termination points at a longitudinal position and time corresponding to the vernal equinox, thus permitting sidereal and tropical time information to be extracted from the same chart; said second axis has indicia measuring longitude in terms of tropical longitude, equatorial longitude, and sidereal time; calendar time measured along said first axis is with respect to local time on the west coast of the United States so that for longitudinal positions corresponding to 0000 hours on a given calendar date, all major populated areas throughout the world have a local time characterized by the same calendar date; said objects include the group of seven objects comprising the sun, the moon, and the five planets visible with the naked eye, wherein each of the group of seven objects is uniquely associated with a particular day of the week and a particular color, wherein the line for a given object of said group of seven objects has superimposed thereon indicia carrying the given object's corresponding color at time coordinates corresponding to the given object's corresponding day; and a two-dimensional reproduction of the stars located in a band about the ecliptic is extended along said second axis defining longitudinal position so that the position of one of said objects may be observed in relation to the actual configuration of the stars.

Claim 15

In an astronomical chart and celestial mapping system for locating the longitudinal positions of astronomical objects and time as viewed from the earth along the ecliptic and for deriving astronomical, astrological, and navigational information based thereon, such a chart having time measured along a first axis and longitudinal position measured along a second axis, with each of the objects being represented by a line that specifies its longitudinal position as a function of time, the improvement wherein: said axes have respective termination points at a longitudinal position and time corresponding to the vernal equinox, thus permitting sidereal and tropical time information to be extracted from the same chart; said second axis has indicia measuring longitude in terms of tropical longitude, equatorial longitude, and sidereal time; calendar time measured along said first axis is with respect to local time on the west coast of the United States so that for longitudinal positions corresponding to 0000 hours on a given calendar date, all major populated areas throughout the world have a local time characterized by the same calendar date; said objects include the group of seven objects comprising the sun, the moon, and the five planets visible with the naked eye, wherein each of the group of seven objects is uniquely associated with a particular day of the week and a particular color, wherein the line for a given object of said group of seven objects has superimposed thereon indicia carrying the given object's corresponding color at time coordinates corresponding to the given object's corresponding day; and a two-dimensional reproduction of the stars located in a band about the ecliptic is extended along said second axis defining longitudinal position so that the position of one of said objects may be observed in relation to the actual configuration of the stars.