München 2019 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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GP: Fachverband Geschichte der Physik

GP 12: Technological development of tools of physics

GP 12.4: Vortrag

Mittwoch, 20. März 2019, 18:00–18:30, HS 9

The tools for determining the correct Easter date — •Harald Gropp — Henkel-Teroson-Str. 20, 69123 Heidelberg

Telescopes or computers programs, which is the better way to determine the correct Easter date? Otherwise said: Should I have watched the new moon crescent (with or without a telescope) or should I use a computer algorithm (or use a table) to compute the position of the sun and the shape of the moon in beforehand? Today (the day of my talk) is the 18th or 19th or 20th of March 2019 (dependant on whether and when the meeting organizers schedule my talk). Spring equinox will be Wednesday (March 20), late evening. Only 4 hours later, on Thursday (March 21), early morning, the moon will be full. Hence, the following sunday (March 24) should be Easter Sunday. However, a look into your calendar shows that Easter Sunday will be celebrated on the last sunday in April (April 21). How can this happen? What went wrong? By the way, Easter Sunday in orthodox countries will be celebrated even one week later, on April 28. This talk will discussion the question of the Easter date this year and in history from different points of view.