It seems like you'd get a lot deeper understanding by doing it that way, and be much more able to adapt the knowledge to the real world, vs only knowing how to solve problems in the exact form they were presented to you. I had so many semesters of undergrad math, did fine, but feel like I took basically nothing from it.
replySorry, author's name was Van Brummelen, not Van Bremmelen.
replyYou know you can edit your comment right. You are still in that edit window.
replyThis is a very entertaining hobby to have. Wishing you a lot of fun.
replyNext stop, making sundials and reading astrolabe.
I was so surprised to know that Chaucer had such interest in the workings of an Astrolabe. It's not much of a surprise if you think that Astrolabe were the pocket GPS, pocket watch, pocket star chart of those times.
Honestly I've been thinking about putting some standing stones in my yard to act as solar clock and calendar, maybe doing a lunar calendar as well...
replyI don't that's against code (yet).
All the best for your Stonehenge.
replyJust knowing that the Sun doesn't really rise on the East (barring exceptions) is a fun reward in itself.
Solarigraphy and Analemma tracking are great fun if you have the luxury of an undisturbed access to the skies.