The Compass

[Barry Schwartz]

Check it out in action at http://www.cartoonbarry.com/2009/06/preview_of_mizrach_compass_for.html

[KosherJava]

Interesting. Here are a couple of points. As you can see at
http://www.kosherjava.com/maps/zmanim.html?lat=41.11965447007511&lng=-74.11620765924454&zoom=18&type=h
there are 2 opinions as to how to calculate mizrach. One, the commonly
used Rhumb Line (the Levush's opinion) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhumb_line
that is 96.08° (from North, or 6.08° south of east ) from your
office, or the Great Circle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Great_circle) that is 53.99° degrees (Emunas Chachamim). There should
be a setting for both. In addition, showing the digital degree # would
allow confirmation that Mizrach is indeed calculated properly. The
algorithm's for both are in the JS files used in the above linked map.
Keep up the great work.

[Barry Schwartz]

We were told by our Rav that virtually everyone holds 31° 46' 40.8" N, 35° 14' 7.44" E is the location of Kodesh Hakodashim.

[Ronnie Schwartz]

Aware of this. However, I don't want to confuse anyone with these
details. We are using a straight vector using GPS coordinates. Not
as fancy as Rhumb line, but does the job.
------------------
Ronnie Schwartz
RustyBrick
ron...@rustybrick.com
www.rustybrick.com
845.369.6869 x202

On Jun 24, 2009, at 4:36 PM, KosherJava wrote:

>

[KosherJava]

The Rhumb Line is not very complicated and probably maps directly to
what you did. For some technical reading see
http://www.kosherjava.com/2008/04/07/technical-information-about-the-bearing-to-yerushalayim-map/
. Out of curiosity, what bearing is the Mizrach vector from your
office that is calculated by the compass?

On Jun 24, 4:42 pm, Ronnie Schwartz <ron...@rustybrick.com> wrote:
> Aware of this.  However, I don't want to confuse anyone with these  
> details.  We are using a straight vector using GPS coordinates.  Not  
> as fancy as Rhumb line, but does the job.
> ------------------
>    Ronnie Schwartz
>    RustyBrick
>    ron...@rustybrick.com
>    www.rustybrick.com
>    845.369.6869 x202
>
> On Jun 24, 2009, at 4:36 PM, KosherJava wrote:
>
>
>
> > Interesting. Here are a couple of points. As you can see at

> >http://www.kosherjava.com/maps/zmanim.html?lat=41.11965447007511&lng=...

> > there are 2 opinions as to how to calculate mizrach. One, the commonly

> > used Rhumb Line (the Levush's opinion)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhumb_line

[KosherJava]

The Har Habayis direction is not disputed. The question is, what
direction is Har Habayis. It is beyond the scope of this reply, but
our perception of a straight line is skewed by our seeing the world in
the usual Mercator Projection map. On a flat surface, a straight line
is straight, but on a sphere, the straightest line is an arc. As
counter-intuitive is it may sound, if there was a flagpole on Har
Habayis that was 17,000 miles high that you could see from NY, the
direction you would see it in would be North East.

On Jun 24, 4:39 pm, Barry Schwartz <ba...@rustybrick.com> wrote:
> We were told by our Rav that virtually everyone holds 31° 46' 40.8" N,  
> 35° 14' 7.44" E is the location of Kodesh Hakodashim.
>
> On Jun 24, 2009, at 4:36 PM, KosherJava wrote:
>
>
>
> > Interesting. Here are a couple of points. As you can see at

> >http://www.kosherjava.com/maps/zmanim.html?lat=41.11965447007511&lng=...

> > there are 2 opinions as to how to calculate mizrach. One, the commonly

> > used Rhumb Line (the Levush's opinion)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhumb_line