rodent unusual size kencoargoluxcom donald eastlake 3rd july 16 2002 yonder blessed moon sleuths decode life art leon jaroff way back pacific island tinian delivered uranium core atomic bomb destroyed hiroshima heavy cruiser indianapolis torpedoed japanese submarine i58 sent bottom philippine sea one worst disasters american naval history 317 nearly 1200 crew members survived experts southwest texas state university given tragic story startling new twist moon say sank indianapolis anyway write july issue sky telescope moon made sinking possible using astronomical computer programs records weather reports well known coordinates running speeds ship submarine sank authors determined i58 surfaced perfectly aligned west east cruiser said threequarter moon emerged behind clouds looking across moonlit water i58 crewman spotted ship silhouetted sky 103 miles away half hour later six torpedoes sent bottom sheer chance said dr donald olson astronomer without alignment moon lookouts would spotted cruiser especially distance russell doescher physics lecturer dr olson conducts university honors course called astronomy art history literature last 15 years pinpointed time place rendering art masterpieces given new interpretations astronomical references chaucer revealed decisive role moon military encounters two years ago example dr olson turned attention bright star van goghs white house night students went auvers france van gogh created final works searched found house largely unchanged sifting letters van gogh brother dr olson found painting completed june 1890 noting orientation house painting determined van gogh set easel section sky portrayed lighting shadows established house illuminated setting sun computer analysis identified star venus early evening midjune occupied part sky final check local weather records pinpointed actual date van gogh composed painting june 16 clear day middle month year dr olson also turned attention shakespeare intrigued opening hamlet guards ramparts elsinor refer star thats westward pole made course illume part heaven burns guards description season time astronomers suggested several bright stars possibilities dr olsons calculations placed constellation cassiopeia lacks notably luminous stars pondering problem trip wife dr olson suddenly inspired aware 1572 supernova called tychos star danish astronomer tycho brahe suddenly flamed cassiopeia creating worldwide sensation shakespeare 8 time would certainly recalled event memory probably refreshed description supernova history book source bestknown plays dr olson doubt star glared elsinor night tychos impressive record astronomybased sleuthing aware photographer ansel adams often neglected date negatives dr olson set find adams shot classic moon half dome yosemite dr olson students found adamss vantage point studied location phase features moon photograph plus shadows dome snow peak clues announced picture taken 414 pm dec 28 1960 dr olson calculated setting would virtually identical 405 pm dec 13 1994 day adamss daughterinlaw visited yosemite photographed holding print moon half dome foreground eerily similar view actual moon half dome analyzing chaucers works dr olson confirmed particularly rapid movement moon described merchants tale occurred april 1389 franklins tale chaucers description heavenly alignment caused exceptionally high tide brittany coast convinced dr olson chaucer advanced amateur astronomer paul revere way saddle famous ride manage row undetected past british warship moonlit night boston harbor dr olsons computer program revealed moon nearly full night unusually close southern horizon illuminate reveres boat dr olsons proudest achievement explaining tide failed bloody marine corps landing tarawa atoll nov 20 1943 planners expected tide provide water depth five feet reef 600 yards shore allowing larger landing craft drafts least four feet pass day next words observers ocean sat providing neither low tide high tide leaving mean depth three feet reef craft grounded edge reef many marines killed injured waded 600 yards shore rifles heads face machinegun fire japanese asked former marine tidal phenomenon dr olson spent six months researching mastering tidal theory discovered military planners aware contend neap tide phenomenon occurs twice month moon near first last quarter countering tug sun causes water levels deviate less day moon also almost farthest point earth exerted even less pull leaving waters relatively undisturbed marines trouble im least blaming planners dr olson said explaining techniques used accurately determining tides hadnt applied waters tarawa indeed modestly claims using computer program calculate tides port world day history yet dr olsons greatest satisfaction seems stem interdisciplinary approach astronomical sleuthing thought van gogh shakespeare chaucer says made life scientist much richer httpxentcommailmanlistinfofork wed 31 jul 2002 102824 0400 bits posterity astronomical sleuthing