BS: Astronomy Question

Subject: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 08:57 PM

Zogg stand on same rock at what him is sure is same time every day. It sunrise.

Zogg look to distant horizon and see tyrannus rex-size boulder.

On day while Zogg stand on same rock looking at same tyrannus rex-size boulder, Zogg notice that sun rise exactly over tyrannus rex-size boulder.

How many days before sun rise exactly over tyrannus rex-sized boulder again?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 09:10 PM

It depends on when in the year you are. Ignoring precessional issues, which will not be vastly relevant over one year...

It will be twice the number of days until the next solstice (either one) before the sun rises in the same position again. If it's a solstice, it's a year.

Example. It's a week before the solstice. The sun will rise in the same spot in 15 days ( week x 2 plus the solstice)

This is assuming the boulder isn't on a glacier moving down the valley, or anything else

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 09:11 PM

How accurate is Zogg's goniometer?

John

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 09:20 PM

Bunn,

Zogg understands the concept now and thanks you. Since calendars are corrected by the leap year, will the sun basically rise in the same spot on the horizon on the same day every year?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: catspaw49
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 09:20 PM

Zogg wait many days for sun to return to t-rex boulder.

Zogg get very hungry.

Zogg get very sleepy.

Zogg have to drop huge load.

Zogg leave watchpost and go off to eat, sleep, and shit.

Zogg now think sun and boulder don't matter rat's ass.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: GUEST,Rapaire
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 09:32 PM

What sort of orbit is Zogg's planet or asteroid of whatever following? That is, what is its angle to the sun, is it a long narrow orbit or a more circular one? Is it affected by the gravitional pull of a nearby moon or planet, and if so, what is the orbital deviation?

Speaking of deviation, I would have thought Amos would have posted already.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Jeri
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 09:51 PM

Zogg see sun rise over T-Rex sized boulder in 1,461 day, but looks prettydamnclose in 365 day.

Of course, if Zogg want to see sun rise in same place every day, Zogg just move.

Rapaire, Zogg on Earth. Tyrannosaurus Rex probably not invent space travel.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 10:53 PM

Not? They gone....right? They didn't like looks of what Zogg was up to.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 11:42 PM

Within the accuracy of Zogg's measurement capability, the same configuration of sunrise at the same azimuth/elevation will appear on the same date in one year.

Since the actual "calendar year" is 365.24 days (approximately) the time of day at which the precise "solstice moment" appears changes slightly, hence there is a slight lateral drift of the solar path apparent from his observation point.

For a "more nearly exact" alignment he'll have to wait four years for the "leap year adjustment" to resynchronise. For an "almost exact" alignment he'll have to wait 100 years for realignment with the leap year that's dropped out in even centuries.

For truly precise observations, he should refer to "sidereal time" rather than calendar or clock time, and probably should synchronise his observations with the atomic clocks and the international timekeepers, to keep track of the "leap second" corrections that accomodate wobble and drift in the earth's motions.

Clear Zogg?

John

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Peace
Date: 25 Oct 06 - 11:55 PM

Zoog have to wait for invention of the atomic clock.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 12:25 AM

If Zogg know what T. Rex looks like, Zogg obviously is, for his time, a very highly skilled scientist. Atomic clock running. All Zogg need do is put the hands and face on it.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: GUEST,dax
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 05:30 AM

If Zogg is in the tropics the rules change.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 07:27 AM

"How accurate is Zogg's goniometer?"

Zogg say Zogg to small for meter. Zogg measure gonads with micrometer.

Zogg now understand sunrise and solstice. Thanks.

Zogg say to (saber-tooth)catspaw, "Bite Zogg".

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: 3refs
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 07:37 AM

If the universe is expanding at a rate that increases in speed as time passes, doesn't that mean that Zogg will have to come back 365.2400000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 days later?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 08:11 AM

One day Tyrannosaurus is going to come out from behind that rock, & give Zogg lot more to worry about than sunrise!

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 08:13 AM

...though if Zogg knows what Tyrannosaurus Rex is, Zogg is clearly very accomplished Archaeologist....

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 08:24 AM

What planet Zogg on?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 08:30 AM

If Zogg suffers from ADHD will he really care about this issue long enough to study it?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 08:43 AM

Zogg sees a rock that looks like "Tyrannus Rex" and not "Tyrannasaurus Rex."

Zogg not on Earth, third planet from G-3 type star called "Sol" by system inhabitants. Zogg someplace else. Maybe Zogg on planet with figure-8 orbit between two stars. That really mess up figuring sunrise!

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 10:22 AM

One minor point. If Zogg is in a Polar region, it becomes vitally important to use days, rather than 24 hour periods. The first sunrise after the polar night will be in the same place as the last one before it, and will be the next day, but is a variable number of 24 hour peiods later, depending on latitude.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 10:40 AM

Zogg come from time when magnetic north somewhere near Hawaii.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 11:34 AM

Wow! The last Magnetic pole inversion was about .78 Ma BP. Zogg was a Homo Erectus, assuming you're not talking about one of the earlier inversions. Working backwards we have Jaramillo, Cobb Mountain, then Olduvai and Reunion, but describing us as human for the last two is very iffy indeed.

Makes no difference though. The Earths orbit has been relativly stable during the Quaternery, so the above calculations remain valid, at least to about the sixth significant(+/-1) figure.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Grab
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 01:06 PM

How Zog know what Tyrannosaurus Rex is, given that Zog and Tyrannosaurus Rex not around at same time...?

Graham.

(Answer: It's actually King Zog of Albania hiring a sculptor to make a statue of Marc Bolan. In which case, it could be any time, depending on where King Zog decided to have the statue put.)

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 01:16 PM

Nah! Zogg from future. Distant future after current crop of homonids destroy biosphere of planet. Zogg highly evolved cockroach whose resemblance to anyone on earth in last few million years purely coincidental.

By way, that mean that, due to gradual but steady slowing of both earth's orbit around sun and rotation on axis, Zogg's day equivalent to our month, but only if measured by our clock. Still take 365.24 Zogg days for year since orbit and rotation slow at same rate.

Also by way, Zogg have seven more years to live before sun expand to humongous size, swallowing up planets out to Mars. Bye, bye, Zogg.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 01:30 PM

Zogg know many things. Zogg know many things Zogg shouldn't -- anachronistic like Lone Ranger with digital wristwatch.

But Zogg not know sunrise/solistice answer until Bunnahwhatsit (which Zogg not know hot to spell either) expain to Zogg.

Zogg have feet on ground, head in clouds, and hands in clay.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Skivee
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 01:44 PM

Zogg smart.
Now Zogg tell where babies come from????
Is big wonder thing.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 02:44 PM

Zogg smarter than Bee-dubya. Zogg not stick cheap candy thermometer that only measure up to 400ºF (204ºC) in peephole of pottery kiln. Zogg not walk away from kilnroom before making sure kiln not way hotter than cheap-ass thermometer can handle. Zogg not have thermometer explode. Zogg not have mercury inside kiln. Only dumbass Bee-dubya have that problem. At least Bee-dubya not get brain damage from mercury fumes when kiln heat up. Must have brain before brain damage can happen.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 02:54 PM

Zogg go up to rock that look like tyrannosaurus rex and do rude grafitti on bit that looks like mark boland

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 03:31 PM

But Zogg under-bisque thousands of clams worth of pots, thus creating lava-like glaze on surface. Zogg turn much pottery into land-fill without pesky 50 year stop-over of household use.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 03:54 PM

Zogg sell mercury-screwed-up pottery to T. Rexes and kin. That why dinosaurs died out: bad tableware.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 04:07 PM

Zogg discover lead pottery not same as lead guitar.

With one, if get to much get very very sick. Lose mental capability. Drool on chin.

With other, serve nice meal on.

Zogg play rhythm.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 04:44 PM

Zogg not amused!

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Jeri
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 05:47 PM

Zogg on stupid rock for 9131 days. Zogg have dull life.

John, c'mon dude - throw me a bone! Did I get it? Did somebody else get it. Is it antibiotic resistant? Hint, clue, something?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 05:52 PM

Zogg throw bone ...

Zogg throw bone at jeri ...

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John O'L
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 06:09 PM

Zogg got too much time on hands. If Zogg don't need to hunt or gather Zogg should forget about sunrise and invent cricket.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 06:16 PM

Zogg throw bone at rock ...

Zogg invent cricket!

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: catspaw49
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 06:22 PM

Zogg discover his own bone.

Zogg try to throw his bone.

Zogg bone won't throw. Zogg bone stuck on Zogg.

Zogg keep trying to throw bone over and over.

Continued attempts make Zogg feel all tingly.

Zogg spends all his days trying to throw Zogg bone.

Zogg don't give shit about anything else.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John O'L
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 06:35 PM

Zogg invents better game than cricket...

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 07:06 PM

well, the rules are simpler than cricket

"Attempt to throw bone...repeat....relax and rest until next inning"

don't forget to read what Zogg and his kind are REALLY up to

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Rowan
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 07:06 PM

Zogg thows bone
Bone flies through air
Funny black stone thing pops up in landscape
Zogg hears funny music
Strange

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John O'L
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 07:16 PM

48.729% of the known universe Bill?

In this part of the universe that'd be the ones who voted Democratic in America, Labor in Australia, and informal in Britain wouldn't it?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 07:19 PM

I though it was a tone poem, not music....

Zogg attemps to think time consuming profound thoughts as chicken stock reduces.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 26 Oct 06 - 08:06 PM

Zogg try buy chicken stock. Chicken stock overvalued. Zogg lose stick in stock market.

Zogg go bowling with Fred and Barney, courtesy of Fred's two feet.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 06:51 AM

Zogg now has a large family, and one of them is now a priest of the golden sun.He is explaining to Zogg that the reason the sun appears over the rock is because it is a magic rock and it commands the sun to do so.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 07:02 AM

Rock is magic. Folk too. Classical, not so much.

"Do You Believe In Magic?" --Zogg Sebastian

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: 3refs
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 08:45 AM

Well, I thought alittle more about this.

Is Zogg right or left brain dominate?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Rapparee
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 08:50 AM

Zogg brain bilaterally dominant. Zogg want to be dominant. Mrs. Zogg not let. Mrs. Zogg dominatrix. Mrs. Zogg dress in leather and chains. Mrs. Zogg have whip. Zogg like Mrs. Zogg.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 10:19 AM

Mrs Zogg like bone

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 10:24 AM

Zoggs play cricket

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 10:59 AM

Zogg evolves for 50,000 years, and is now able to understand the rules of cricket...

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 11:29 AM

Zogg have vision

Zogg see giant woman holding up flaming bone like trophy

Zogg feel trepidations

Zogg comprehend divine nature of soul searching...

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Peace
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 11:35 AM

"Zogg evolves for 50,000 years, and is now able to understand the rules of cricket..."

It would take longer than that to understand the rules of cricket.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 12:05 PM

Ok, so....

Zogg evolves for 50,000 years, still can't understand cricket, and so invents baseball instead?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Lox
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 01:55 PM

Zogg obsessed with cricket, always playing with bone

Mrs Zogg never gets a look in, goes to find another bone.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bill D
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 03:12 PM

Mrs. Zogg find walrus...ALWAYS have bone.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 04:02 PM

Zogg suspicious about love bite

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 04:37 PM

Zogg sit up all night wondering where Sun gone..

Suddenly it dawn on Zogg!

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Lox
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 04:56 PM

Now that Zogg have Dawn, him not too bothered about mrs Zogg's love bite.

Him not too bothered about cricket.

Zogg gonna stayng up all night again

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bill D
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 05:03 PM

Look carefully, Zogg!

(may require full page view...F-11)....stare thru page.)

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 05:30 PM

Zog sees patterns on the end of his nose now...

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 06:55 PM

Next time I look like I'm going to fall for some sort of 'puzzler' hook, somebody remind me of this thread...

My mistake - I didn't realize it was a 'talk like a cave man' thing instead of an 'astronomy question thing'. Have fun, y'all!

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 07:03 PM

Jeri,

It was an astronomy thing! It's just that it got answered within the first five posts.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Rowan
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 08:56 PM

Zogg very sorry for Jeri
Downcast, Zogg contemplates bone

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 09:10 PM

Zogg know which came first between chicken and egg. Zogg also know if Adam had navel. Eve was babe, by the way.

Zogg good friends with Johnny Hart.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 10:13 PM

Egg first. Adam need place to but salt for celery.

Jeri so impressed with Zogg bone, she read post but miss bunnyperson get answer.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Rowan
Date: 27 Oct 06 - 10:46 PM

After much contemplation, Zogg makes decision
Zogg wants to cheer Jeri
Leaping into the future for inspiration
Zogg pulls out leather ferret for a fondle
Zogg plays Kid on the mountain
and then plays Banish misfortune

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 06:27 AM

Zogg master astronomy. Now have physics question...

1. If there were two 1/2 inch X 1/2 inch steel bars that were each a mile long

2. and those bars were end to end with an inch gap between the ends

3. and say that the expansion of steel would be > 1 inch per mile if heated to 500 degrees

4. and those bars were free to move in any direction as they expanded with the heat

...does anyone doubt that when heated to 500 degrees they would close the 1 inch gap and touch?

Now imagine...

1. those same steel bars with that same expansion rate

2. all as a small part of a steel washer (not something that washes steel, rather, a coin shape with a hole in the middle) that is two miles in diameter, 1/2 inch thick, with a one inch hole in the middle.

3. and imagine that those two bars in the above scenario are actually still end to end, but they have yet to be cut out of that washer -- they are still end to end -- and the inch gap in the above scenario is now the one inch hole in the middle of the washer.

4. heating the washer up to 500 degrees now...

...does anyone think that the hole in the middle of the washer will close?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 07:38 AM

The hole expands with the same coefficient as the surrounding material.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 02:33 PM

A steel bar one mile long will expand by about 633 inches for each degree F increase in temperature. So your bars will be so wrinkled up after they bump into each other they'll probaly crawl in a ditch and hide somewhere.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 02:44 PM

yes, but will the washer still have a hole in the center? (provided that there is no resistance to the expansion that would cause that wrinkling up)

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 02:51 PM

The hole will be bigger at higher temperature. A uniform expansion is just a "metric coefficient" transform, and the shape doesn't change.

The real question is "how thick a piece of brass would you have to laminate onto one side of the original mile long steel bar to make it form a perfect closed circle with a 500 degree temperature increase."

John

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 02:54 PM

Steel bar one mile long weight helluva lot. Zogg drop steel bar on foot.

Zogg invent new dance and say many bad words!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 03:41 PM

Hey,

Thanks for the answer, John. Really. It's kinda light-hearted musing on my part. The question came up about the notion of a steel donut being heated and whether the hole would get bigger or smaller.

I immediately thought bigger. I thought about the idea of heating a stubborn nut off of a bolt. I thought of running warm water over a stubborn lid.

But when asked why the expansion of the steel wouldn't expand into the hole, all I could come up with was a bit of conjecture on my part...

...that it is the bond, not the atom that causes expansion. Thus, if the atoms that make up the innermost ring of atoms (the one that would define the perimeter of the center hole), the atoms are not going to change, but they will exhibit the same force of expansion in the bonds between them.

In fact, if there were only one ring of atoms, I doubt that anyone would even wonder if the ring would get bigger. It would seem more obvious.

And the atoms can't "leapfrog" one another. We're not talking about melting the steel. We've all seen sugar cookies close up holes as they expand in the heat of the oven.

I further figured that, at the very least, there would be a "keystone-ing" effect -- in other words, the center ring of atoms, rather than getting compressed by the action of the outer atoms "trying" to expand in all directions, would instead, be more inclined to direct all expansion outward. The "keystone-ing" by those atoms would, in effect, be the same as if the two bars in the first scenario met in the middle and thus started pushing all expansion toward the opposite ends.

I'm sure there's a simpler explanation. That was just what my sense of things came up with.

Sadly, Zogg drop things on foot all time. And to frustrate Zogg even more, bad words not invented yet.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 03:51 PM

. . . limp a lot.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 03:54 PM

". . . limp a lot."

Didn't he steal Gueneviere from Arthur?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 08:20 PM

John H -

You do realize that the "633 inches per degree F" was a standard "random preposterous result" to see if anyone would actually do the calculation to argue with it?

John

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 08:27 PM

That was once when his steed stepped on his foot. That very aggressive jouster, Lance-a-lot.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Don Firth
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 08:30 PM

Unless Gueneviere ran off with him because Arthur was limp a lot.

(Sorry! Very sorry!)

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Rowan
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 08:51 PM

JohninKansas, thank goodness I've been metricated for so long I've fogotten how.

Bit like Arthur I suppose.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 09:15 PM

"You do realize that the "633 inches per degree F" was a standard "random preposterous result""

I (of course) did the calculations* and realized that, as I found your figures off by no more that plus or minus 632 inches per degree F, I shouldn't quibble. I rarely come any closer than 614 inches per degree F when proposing the preposerous myself. I can hardly demand more of you.

*anyone need a couple miles of melted-down 16 penny nails? Costly experiment, that.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Peace
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 09:17 PM

"anyone need a couple miles of melted-down 16 penny nails"

Not like Chernobyl I take it, so nothing to worry about, right?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: John Hardly
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 09:26 PM

No. The steel's still warm, but not radioactive. Well, not very radioactive anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Jeri
Date: 07 Jan 07 - 10:09 PM

Is 'preposerous' what a kid is before they realize they should be acting 'cool'?

Subject: RE: BS: Astronomy Question
From: Slag
Date: 08 Jan 07 - 04:10 AM

With regards to the original question: Zogg's rock formation resembles a T-Rex which raises some very red flags concerning evolutionary sequence but for argument's sake I'll go with it. To be recognizable as a large carnivorous sauropod, Zogg's scale would have to be around 1 degree. The Sun consistantly appears 1/2 degree as seen from Earth. This makes for quite a bit of slop in his observation so while the Sun may only PRECISELY "rise" in the same spot every 365.256 days it would appear to Zogg to rise in the same spot twice a year. The closer to the solstice positions the sooner this would occur. If the alignment were at the equinox postions then the occurence would be one half year apart (182.63 days).