Assessment Questions 12.5

1. How did ancient societies, including the Maya, use the night sky for more than just admiration?

Some ancient societies, like the Maya, observed regular patterns in the night sky and used them to measure time and predict future celestial movements. They developed calendars based on these observations.

2. How many calendars did the Maya create based on their observations of the night sky, and what were the key features of these calendars?

The Maya created three calendars based on their observations. One was a 260-day calendar of 13 periods of 20 days, another had 18 periods of 20 days totaling 360 days (close to a solar year), and the third involved the lunar phase cycle of about 29.53 days.

3. How did the Maya account for the difference between their 360-day calendar and a solar year, and what did they add to the calendar?

The Maya recognized the shortfall in their 360-day calendar compared to a solar year and added 5 days at the end of each cycle before the next one began. This adjustment helped align their calendars more closely with astronomical events.