Got pics/info?

Derreenataggart West 2

Image by IronMan

CianMcLiam Sep 17, 2007 19:17:35

I've been puzzling over Derreenataggart and it's 'equinox' alignment (according to Jack Roberts' guide). The circles axis is E-W (270deg across the recumbent) but according to Burl, quoted in Ironman's notes, the hills behind are 'high' placing the alignment out by some bit.

From Ironman's pic below though this doesn't seem to be the case, the horizon seems to dip into a valley directly behind the recumbent in the pic below:
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/4923/images/derreenataggart_west.html

I've looked through my pics and I dont have a good view through the axis to the horizon so I'm looking for some pics of same.

Another oddity is the plan from 1910 posted by gjrk http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/54605/images/derreenataggart_west.html
which indicates instead an alignment with the equinox sunrise, but I've rarely seen a proposed alignment from behind the recumbent through the portals, perhaps the more usual SW positioning of the recumbent in most circles places the alignment too far north for a rising sun?

Any info much appreciated.

tiompan Sep 17, 2007 20:00:26

Replying to CianMcLiam

CianMcLiam wrote:

I've looked through my pics and I dont have a good view through the axis to the horizon so I'm looking for some pics of same.

A Any info much appreciated.

I think that Burl's "high hills " are not the distant hills but the foreground hill above the gorse , that is quite a high horizon behing the recumbent .

gjrk Sep 17, 2007 22:51:17

Replying to CianMcLiam

Nothing doing here with any pictures either. I haven't been that way in a long time and when I was there it was under heavy mist.

I just looked back at Somerville's plan and his line runs from the centre of the axial through the right portal and seems plausible.
Patrick and Freeman surveyed a number of circles years ago and looked at data from both sides, that is the line between portals to centre axial and the line between centre axial through portals, and found a much stronger, though admittedly rough and occasional, solar event orientation to the southwest.

Their survey of Derreenatagart threw up a declination from the portals through the axial of +7.76degrees and one in the opposite direction of -4.15degrees.
For whatever reason Ruggles, when he surveyed the portals to centre axial, found it to be significantly different at +4.2degrees.

None of these results are unfortunately anywhere close to an accurate equinox sunset orientation. Tiompan may be able to correct me on this but I think the declination for that event is +0.5degrees.

The closest circles to the bullseye are apparently:
Dromroe +1.2 (Ruggles), +0.83 (Patrick)
Bohonagh +0.6 (Ruggles), +0.88 (Patrick)
Knocks North +1.22 (Patrick)
Cappanaboul +0.6 (Ruggles)

Good luck and fine weather for the hunt,
g.

FourWinds Sep 18, 2007 06:15:22

Replying to CianMcLiam

You'll not see much through the portals - http://www.megalithomania.com/show/image/4403