Over-Analysis of Minor Plot Points - Astronomy OWLs

[Lady Macbeth]

No: HPFGUIDX 116076

I thought I'd share some interesting observations I was making tonight with
the list, in case any one here wants to take them and run with them for any
theories, ideas, adding to "FLINT" or "blooper" lists or whatever.

I'm in Astronomy in college right now, so I became curious about Harry's
astronomy OWL more than I had before.  As part of our course, we have access
to a very nice program that lets you chart the sky at any date and time for
any place on the globe.

So, out of curiosity, I set it for Scotland (well, the whole UK is covered
when it's set for Scotland, so it's kind of a fail-safe for this purpose)
and ran through the dates of June 5-16, 1995 at 11:00 PM (when their
Astronomy practical exam started) and 12:00 AM (approximately when the
attack on Hagrid started).

By using the calendar and the information in the book, I determined that the
Astronomy practical exam would have likely been on Wednesday, June 14
(barring errors in the calendar as we've seen before; I think I've found a
couple in this section of the book, but I'll need to do a more detailed look
to be sure).

OotP, CH 31, p.718 (American Paperback Edition):
"When they reached the top of the Astronomy Tower at eleven o'clock they
found a perfect night for stargazing, cloudless and still.  The grounds were
bathed in silvery moonlight, and there was a slight chill in the air."

This would be fairly accurate.  The moon would be just past full, having
been full on the 12th, and was rising several degrees above the horizon.
However, there would have still been a slight sheen of blue/purple on the
horizon from the sun having set just a little while previous.

OotP, CH 31, p.718 (American Paperback Edition):
"Half an hour passed, then an hour..."
"As Harry completed the constellation Orion on his chart, however, the front
doors of the castle opened directly below the parapet where he was
standing..."

Orion would not have been visible.  On this date (and for quite a while
surrounding this date) Orion was rising during the daylight hours,
approximately 7:00 AM.  Prominent constellations that would have been
visible for Harry would have been Virgo, Leo (very nicely sat on the
horizon), Pegasus, Ophiuchus and the circumpolar constellations.

OotP, CH 31, p.719 (American Paperback Edition):
"Harry put his eye back to his telescope and refocused it, now examing
Venus."

Venus was also not visible.  Venus was the "Morning Star" during this time,
rising around 3:00 AM.

OotP, CH 31, p.720 (American Paperback Edition):
"Harry looked down at his own and noticed that he had mislabelled Venus as
Mars.  He bent to correct it."

Probably should have left it. ~_^  Mars was visible during this time,
shining nicely at Leo's feet. :)


Just some trivia for everyone to work with.  I haven't decided if I've got a
PRACTICAL use for it myself, more so just a curiosity.

-Lady Macbeth







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