Sky Cultures for inclusion in Stellarium

[rayvd1]

Hello,

I've created a set of three similar sky cultures that are mostly just colored versions of the modern sky culture set, with some modifications specific to usage for biblical studies, based on the published materials on our website. How can I submit them for evaluation to be included with Stellarium?
biblical_skycultures-v1.0.zip

[gzotti]

We have an area on stellarium.org where contributed skycultures can be hosted, inclusion in the main program is not planned.

That said, your approach has many problems. For a start, obviously, for anything "biblical" you should at least remove all constellations that were introduced after the Bible was complete. Monoceros (a 17th century addition), most southern constellations (all scientific instruments, Dor, Cha, Aps, Hyi, Men, ...), etc. The history of the standard constellations since antiquity is well known.

Most historians I have read date the crucifixation to 33AD springtime, which included at least a partial Lunar eclipse. (Badly visible, bur still a visible celestial phenomenon.)

I will not discuss the other textual interpretations, though, and will not decide (alone) about hosting of these.

[rayvd1]

We have an area on stellarium.org where contributed skycultures can be hosted, inclusion in the main program is not planned.

I have self-hosted them from our website. I see the page where you offer contributed skycultures, but I don't see any instructions for submitting them to be included in that list. I'd like to pursue that option.

Here is the download link:
https://whitecloudfarm.org/files/wcf_skycultures.zip

[rayvd1]

Ok, I understand the concerns about the historical aspects. It was not intended to suggest that the content of the sky cultures generally are mentioned in or derived from the Bible, but simply that they can be used for the purpose of studying and interpreting the Bible prophecies. Perhaps calling them "biblical" is misleadingly suggestive. I simply want to indicate that they are relevant to those studying Bible prophecy. It is certainly not intended to reflect any consensus view (if one can even be said to exist) regarding a specific date for the crucifixion, etc.

As such, I classified these as "single", because the modifications reflect the analysis of one group, whose work is published online. Would it therefore be more appropriate to label them according to the name of this group? Then it would be "White Cloud Farm (Standard)", etc. That would indeed be clearer, and may be a more direct way of offering the interpretations without implying consensus.

Attached are renamed versions.
wcf_skycultures-v1.0.zip

[rayvd1]

Again, also horologium is a mid-18th century addition and any reference from Biblical studies to this constellation is unfounded, reducing whatever credibility the rest of your interpretation may offer.

The target audience generally accepts the concept of divine foreknowledge, especially in the setting of prophetic interpretation. Therefore, it is not unfounded when considered within that cultural framework. I guess part of the uniqueness of this sky culture is that the cultural perspective which it seeks to represent is not historical, but living. But the beliefs within the represented culture certainly allow for a guided application of concepts developed much later than the writing of the biblical text itself, given their ascent to divine foreknowledge. The culture even expects that the texts, believed to be prophetic in nature, will embody that foreknowledge.

[gzotti]

Colorized artwork for the Modern skyculture would be welcome I guess. Maybe that's worth hosting.

Many years ago we had a colored version of the default SC. I could check my archives.

[Atque]

Colorized artwork for the Modern skyculture would be welcome I guess. Maybe that's worth hosting.

Many years ago we had a colored version of the default SC. I could check my archives.

Really? That would be better (if it's made by the original author). Should be around in this repo's history, if it once was included in the installation.

[gzotti]

Not in the git repo, but maybe linked from the old wiki. It is a matter of taste if you want flashy baroque colors that overshouts the stars or decent grays that only hints at a figure.

[alex-w]

Really? That would be better (if it's made by the original author). Should be around in this repo's history, if it once was included in the installation.

It's was not published in official git (I think I have one colored western SC)