[HPforGrownups] NASA: Harry Potter and the Moons of Jupiter

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 66936

On 2 Jul 2003 at 9:51, Dan Delaney wrote:

> Here's a nice little article from NASA commenting on the "Good
> Astronomy" in Harry Potter. J.K. obviously did her homework :-)

I've still found a few astronomical problems in Order of the Phoenix.

It's in reference to their astronomy exam. Which we know takes place in June, on a 
Wednesday. If the year is 1996 (which is the general fan consensus).

We have four indications of astronomical information about the night in question from 
Order of the Phoenix.

(I) The grounds are bathed in moonlight at 11pm.
(II) Sometime after midnight, Harry is able to find Venus in the sky
(III) Sometime after midnight, Harry is able to find the Moon in the sky.
(IV) Harry completes a chart of Orion sometime after midnight, implying it is visible - 
though it doesn't actually say it is.

We have 4 Wednesdays in June 1996 - the 4th, the 11th, the 18th, and the 25th. 
Logically the exam should be either the 18th or the 25th, IMHO, but I've considered all 4 
dates.

We know Hogwarts is in Scotland. We don't really have a precise location. Just for 
convenience, I'm basing my calculations very roughly on a central Scottish location - 56 
30'N, 4W - if anyone has a better lat long to use, based on where they thing Hogwarts 
is, I'll happily recalcuate - but it's only going to make a few minutes difference.


June 4th 

(I) Not possible. Moon is certainly bright (87% full). But at 11pm, it hasn't risen yet. It 
won't rise until around three minutes after midnight.
(II) Not possible - Venus will not rise until 4:55am - the sun will have risen by 4:30am, 
and Venus would
(III) Possible - Moon would be visible from 12:03am
(IV) Very marginal - technically speaking some of the area described by Orion would 
have still been up at 11pm - but none of the major stars. By midnight, it's well and truly 
below the horizon.

June 11th

(I) Not possible. Moon is only about 16% full anyway, so moonlight wouldn't be that 
bright. But it's below the horizon - won't rise until 2:57am
(II) Not possible. Venus will not rise until 4.28am, 2 minutes after the sun does.
(III) Marginal - if the exam lasts until 3am, he could see the Moon - but the indications 
are it's much shorter.
(IV) Not Possible - the first stars of Orion won't rise until after 5am

June 18th

(I) Very marginal - moon is up at 11pm, but is only 7% full, and will set 6 minutes later - 
very low in the sky, won't be producing much moonlight.
(II) Very marginal - Venus rises at 4.05am - 19 minutes before sunrise. If the exams 
lasts 4 hours, just possible - but again, the indications are it does not last that long.
(III) Not possible - moon set by 23:06 - it won't rise again till after 7am.
(IV) Not possible - Orion is down, will begin rising a little before 5am

June 25th

(I) Possible - moon is 67% full, so fairly bright, and is in the sky.
(II) Marginal - Venus will rise at 3.35am - so again, if the exam is that long, possible, but 
again, this seems unlikely from the times described in the book.
(III) Possible - moon is up until 1.39 am
(IV) Not possible - Orion is down, will not begin rising until a little after 4am.

OK - not earthshattering information, but the quality of discussion on this list is so high, I 
like to contribute what I can.

Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately |webpage: http://www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       |email: drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. They
don't alter their views to fit the facts. They alter the facts to fit
the views. Which can be uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the
facts that need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia