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499. Next we should examine why the text on side a is considerably longer than that on side b. The length of side a seems to have been fixed as the right ascension distance from Sirrah (March 21, 80) to Polaris (April 16, 106), i.e. to 26 + 366 = 392 days (glyphs):

Sept 20 21 (264) Equinox 23 24 25 26
no glyph
Ca1-1 Ca1-2 Ca1-3 Ca1-4 Ca1-5 Ca1-6
CLOSE TO THE FULL MOON:
March 21 (80)

Al Fargh al Thāni-25 (Rear Spout)

0h (365.25)

CAPH (Hand) = β Cassiopeiae, SIRRAH (Navel of the Horse) = α Andromedae (0.5), ε Phoenicis, γ³ Oct. (0.8)
22

Uttara Bhādrapadā-27 (2nd of the Blessed Feet) / Wall-14 (Porcupine)

ο Oct. (1.3), ALGENIB PEGASI = γ Pegasi (1.8)
23

χ Pegasi (2.1), θ Andromedae (2.7)

24

σ Andromedae (3.0), ι Ceti (3.3), ζ Tucanae (3.5), ρ Andromedae, π Tucanae (3.7)

Julian equinox

no star listed (4)

26 (85 = 185 - 100)

ANKAA = α Phoenicis, κ Phoenicis (5.0)

ALPHARD (α Hydrae)

27

λ Phoenicis (6.3), β Tucanae (6.4)

45.0 = 86.4 - 41.4

Sept 27 (270) 28 378
Ca1-7 Ca1-8 (= 740 - 2 * 366)
March 28

ANDROMEDA GALAXY (M31), π Andromedae (7.7)

31 = 104 - (365 - 292) 

29 (88)

ε Andromedae (8.2), DELTA = δ Andromedae (8.4), SCHEDIR (Breast) = α Cassiopeiae (8.6), ζ Andromedae, μ Phoenicis (8.9)

47.0 = 88.4 - 41.4

Oct 11 12 13 14 15 (288) 16
*Ca14-24 *Ca14-25 *Ca14-26 *Ca14-27 (390) *Ca14-28 *Ca14-29
April 11 (101)

 δ Phoenicis (21.5)

12

PINWHEEL GALAXY (M33 Trianguli (22.1), υ Andromedae (22.9)

13

ACHERNAR (End of the River) = α Eridani (23.3), χ Andromedae (23.6), τ Andromedae (23.9)

14 (104)

ALSEIPH (Scimitar) = φ Persei (24.5), τ Ceti (24.7)

 
15 (470)

no star listed (25)

 
16 (1½ * 314)

ANA-NIA-10 (Pillar-to-fish by)

χ Ceti (26.1), POLARIS = α Ursae Minoris, BATEN KAITOS (Belly of the Fish) = ζ Ceti (26.6), METALLAH (Triangle) = α Trianguli (26.9)

Counted from Schedir the distance is 392 - 7 = 385 right ascension days (= 5 * 11 weeks). Side b was therefore beginning when the Sun reached day 290 (October 17) and the Full Moon was at the First Point of Aries (in April 17). In Roman times Sheratan would have risen heliacally in 'March 21 (80) while Alrisha would have been at Full Moon at the autumn equinox (265 = 80 + 185 = 365 - 100):

Oct 17 (10 * 29) 18 19 20 21
'Sept 20 (263 = 290 - 27) 21 (264) Equinox 23 (266 = 366 - 100) 24
Cb1-1 (393) Cb1-2 Cb1-3 Cb1-4 (396) Cb1-5
April 17 (107 = 80 + 27)

Al Sharatain-1 / Ashvini-1 / Bond-16 (Dog) / Mahrū-sha-rishu-ku-1 (Front of the Head of Ku)

SEGIN = ε Cassiopeia, MESARTHIM = γ Arietis, ψ Phoenicis (27.2), SHERATAN (Pair of Signs) = β Arietis, φ Phoenicis (27.4)

*351.0 = *27.4 - *41.4
18

ι Arietis (28.0), λ Arietis (28.2), υ Ceti (28.8)

19

ALRISHA (The Knot) = α Piscium, χ Phoenicis (29.2), ε Trianguli (29.4), ALAMAK (Caracal) = γ Andromedae (29.7)

*353.0 = *29.4 - *41.4

20

Arku-sha-rishu-ku-2 (Back of the Head of Ku)

2h (30.4)

κ Arietis (30.3), HAMAL (Sheep) = α Arietis (30.5)

ALKES (α Crateris)

 

21

DELTOTUM = β Trianguli (31.2), ι Trianguli (31.7), η Arietis (31.9)

*355.0

 

'March 21 (0h) 22 23 24 Julian equinox (84)
Oct 22 (295 = 268 + 27)
'Sept 25 (268)
Cb1-6 (398)
April 22 (112)

ξ¹ Ceti (32.1)

'March 26 (85)

Thus it was necessary to extend the text on side a for longer than a year if the First Point of Aries should be at the beginning of side b. 392 = 365 + 27 = 56 (= 7 * 8) weeks.

Day 295 (= 10 times the measure for the synodic lunar month), viz. October 22 as counted from January 1, came 5 days after Cb1-1, and if counted from Ca1-6 also this measure was 56 weeks (= 2 * 28 = 4 * 14):

Sept 26 (269)

391 Oct 22 (295 = 268 + 27)
'Aug 30 (242 = 269 - 27) 'Sept 25 (268)
Ca1-6 Cb1-6 (398 = 6 + 392)
'Febr 28 (59 = 242 - 183) 56 weeks

The number of glyphs on side b, on the other hand, was designed to be 348 (= 12 * 29 = 6 + 18 * 19) because the Sun would then reach all the way to Porrima in Virgo while the Full Moon would arrive to the back side of Andromeda, to Delta:

339 Sept 26 27 (270) 28
'Aug 30 (242) 31 'Sept 1
Cb14-17 (346) Cb14-18 Cb14-19 (740)
March 27

λ Phoenicis (6.3), β Tucanae (6.4)

45.0 = 86.4 - 41.4
28

ANDROMEDA GALAXY (M31), π Andromedae (7.7)

31 = 104 - (365 - 292)

29 (88)

ε Andromedae (8.2), DELTA = δ Andromedae (8.4), SCHEDIR (Breast) = α Cassiopeiae (8.6), ζ Andromedae, μ Phoenicis (8.9)

47.0 = 88.4 - 41.4

'Febr 28 (59 = 242 - 183) 29 (Leap Day) 'March 1 (61 = 366 / 6)

... The leap day was introduced as part of the Julian reform. The day following the Terminalia (February 23) was doubled, forming the 'bis sextum - literally 'double sixth', since February 24 was 'the sixth day before the Kalends of March' using Roman inclusive counting (March 1 was the 'first day'). Although exceptions exist, the first day of the bis sextum (February 24) was usually regarded as the intercalated or 'bissextile' day since the third century. February 29 came to be regarded as the leap day when the Roman system of numbering days was replaced by sequential numbering in the late Middle Ages ...