06 Jul 08 15:55, Mark Lewis wrote to Roy Witt:

 ML> Hi Roy,
 ML> On , you wrote me:

 ML>>> right, i understand... just for clarification, 180 degrees on the
 ML>>> compass is south, 90 is east, etc... also, 10 degrees in elevation
 ML>>> is about one fist width when held at arms length... make a fist
 ML>>> like you would if you were holding a broom... your thumb is at the
 ML>>> top... hold your arm out with the bottom of your fist even with the
 ML>>> horizon... the top of your fist is about 10 degrees... now either
 ML>>> move your fist up a bit so that bottom is where the top was or put
 ML>>> your other fist on top... now the top is about 20 degrees up...

 RW>> What time is it at one fist above the horizon?

 ML> well... IIRC, each finger is about 15 minutes or so... so one
 ML> clenched fist would be about one hour...

No, that would be 1 hour and 15 minutes. You've excluded the thumb in your
calculations.

 ML>  as for the actual time, that would depend on the season but in
 ML> general, four fingers would indicate one hour after sunrise or one
 ML> hour before sunset ;)

True. So if one knows the actual time of sunset or sunrise, one can tell
pretty close to what time it is.

 ML> when i was in the scouts and we were doing this in the western half
 ML> of the sky, it meant that it was time to get camp set up... in the
 ML> morning, doing it in the east, it meant that it was time to break
 ML> camp and GTHOOD ;)

I do this in the field when bird hunting. Shooting hours are enforced by
the game wardens and they're scheduled around the rise and setting of the
sun. 'no shooting until 1/2 hour after sunrise', etc...

 ML>  Weep not thou tenderfoot fair,
 ML>  Weep not for clocks or pie;
 ML>  There is no pastry in the air
 ML>  Nor doughnuts in the sky.

And when, at early morning,
A faint flush comes to me,
Reflected from those glowing skies
I almost weep to see;

His spirit drinks with mine.

                R\%/itt



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