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Re: Calendars -- Gregorian and Julian



To resolve the issue of Gregorian/Julian correspondences in 1632, it may
be helpful to note that the Gregorian calendar first went into
effect in 1582, when October 4 was followed by October 15, i.e., (Oct.
15, 1582/Gregorian) = (Oct. 5, 1582/Julian). 1632 is just 50 years
later, one-eighth of a 400 year period during which the discrepancy
between the two calendars would increase by 3 whole days. Thus by 1632
the discrepancy between the two would have increased by only 3/8 of a
day, or 9 hours more than the 10 days difference in 1582.

When the Gregorian calendar was finally adopted by the English speaking
countries in 1752, Sep. 2 (Julian) was followed by Sep. 14 (Gregorian),
so the discrepancy had by then grown to 11 days -- (Sep. 3, 1752/Julian)
= (Sep. 14, 1752/Gregorian).

[Reference for above info -- Fraknoi, Morrison, and Wolff's astronomy
textbook "Voyages Through the Universe," p. 70, Saunders College
Publishing, 1997.]

For those of us old enough to remember Moscow's "October Revolution"
parades in Red Square, this explians why they were held in November --
Russia did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until after the Bolsheviks
seized power in 1917 -- the Red revolution took place in (late October,
1917/Julian).

Hope this is helpful.


Peter Vajk
St.Joseph Notre Dame High School
Alameda, CA 94501