ANST - Ansteorra Stars and Comets

[Sean Gulick]

baron at elfsea.ansteorra.org wrote:

> <snipped>
>
> So the star we're named after isn't just an ordinary
> star, but the great comet, Halley's.  Thus a lot of our
> heraldry and award names, as well.  I think we have the
> coolest name of any kingdom.
>
> - Galen

Greetings,

It is probably worth mentioning that Halley's comet, or any comet, is not a
star at all but an intrastellar ball of ice, however in the middle ages it was
thought to be a great shooting star because comets were not yet understood.
The fact this "shooting star" could be seen for days in a row was cause for
great concern throughout the planet whenever it appeared (every 76 years or so)
as you might expect.  It was not until 1705 that Edmond Halley using Newton's
"newly formulated" laws of motion predicted it was not a star but a comet (they
still did not know that it was made of ice) and that the body viewed in the sky
in 1531, 1607, and 1682 was the same body.  His prediction came true,
unfortunately after his death, when the comet did reappear in the sky in 1758
and his name was given to the comet from the point on.  I personally find the
name of Ansteorra and its connection to such a period misconception truly
wonderful.  After all we know today the middle ages was full of misconceptions
as I am sure our time will turn out to be when looked back upon 100s of years
from now!

In service,
Gideon

--
'Once more into the breach my friends...'
_______________________________
His Lairdship Gideon MacLeod

Southern Region Warlord of Ansteorra
Lieutenant of the Bryn-Gwlad War Company
Quartermaster of Bryn-Gwlad
Squire to Viscount Wulfbrand Lurkr
Defender of Lioness
Order of the Tyger's Combatant
Order of the Sable Falcon
Brother in Black, the Last Defenders of the Dragon

Home Phone: 512-249-7727
Work Phone: 512-232-3262
E-mail: sean at ig.utexas.edu
Modern Name: Sean Gulick, Ph.D.


============================================================================
Go to http://lists.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.