2. The quarter from December to February has 31 + 31 + 28 (sometimes 29) = 90 (sometimes 91) days:
But counting from Christmas there are 7 + 31 + 28 (sometimes 29) = 66 (sometimes 67) days to the end of February. Next we can coordinate right ascension with dates in our calendar:
A synodic lunar month is approximately 29.53 days long and day 354 = 12 * 29½ coincides with December 20 where the 19th hour is beginning. "From excavated tally sticks, researchers have deduced that people counted days in relation to the Moon's phases as early as the Paleolithic age." (Wikipedia) Our calendar has winter solstice as the day after 12 synodic lunar months, in December 21. |