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Algol and Horus

16 November 2018
Astronomy

In Open Astronomy we have an article with the title, 'Algol as Horus in the Cairo Calendar: the possible means and the motives of the observations' – go to https://phys.org/print461237367.html … Basically, the authors claim a reference in the Cairo Calendar dated from 1163-44BC (it doesn't say how the date is calculated) has a series of observations which they claim is of the star Algol (which varies in brightness as a resulting of a binary formation). It may mean nothing but the date jumped out at me as this is almost exactly those of the narrow growth three ring event of 1159-45BC. One may therefore wonder if it had anything to do with a star as such, distant objects in the sky, and more to do with transient phenomena of some kind. The authors are probably right to see Horus as representing a cosmic object of some kind – but Horus came in a variety of guises (and does not appear to be a fixed object). The authors claim Algol was associated with Horus (or perhaps an aspect of the god) but have the researchers assumed an identification between the two? Horus was also a hawk god and stars don't swoop down towards the earth as a raptor in flight with a meal on its mind. Varying in brightness appears to be totally different to swooping – but other aspects of Horus may fit the bill. Egyptian deities such as Horus and Set were astronomical bodies according to the article – and I would not disagree with that (but does the text refer to the behaviour of the star Algol)?

See also https://astronomynow.com/2015/12/18/did-the-ancient-egyptians-record-the… … and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horus

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