Astronomy 161

I am currently listening to the audio recordings of the lectures for Prof. Richard Pogge's Autumn Quarter 2006 Astronomy 161 class at The Ohio State University. The information is foundational and accessible for the average layperson. I recommend listening to these lectures to get a basic understanding of astronomy and to increase your awareness and enjoyment of the night sky and the passing of the seasons.

In lecture 11 on the calendar I learned an interesting fact that in 46 BC, Julius Caesar had 80 days added to the year to realign the calendar so that the dates fit the soltices and the festivals. That year there were 445 days and many called it the "Year of Confusion" or the "Year of Total Confusion." While Julius Caesar claimed that he wanted to fix the calendar in order to please the gods by having the festivals occur at the appropriate time, others charged him with usurping the heavens. This contributed to his assassination two years later.

One must be careful when doing good, especially if it causes a lot of change. People resent change because it challenges the status quoa and upsets power structures. People don't like to relearn and adapt because it takes conscious thought and effort. When change is introduced, great care must be taken. Don't blindly make changes that affect other people; make sure that you consult with those who will be affected and get them to buy into the change first. Otherwise, you may end up like Julius Caesar. Just because you are trying to do something good that will benefit others, don't expect them to appreciate it.