Our Expert Archeo Astronomer,
Dr. Eddie Salazar
Will guide us a the sites of Chichen Itza and Dzibilchaltun on the mathematical expertise of the Mayan archetects of these monuments.   Each structure was designed perfectly in orientation and angle to accomplish absolute alignment on equinox days. Eddie is the foremost expert on Mayan Archeo Astronomy and will also give a presentation at the planetarium of Merida.

Nighttime Observing
Several of our hotels are situated far from towns or light pollution. Our tour will bring us as far south as 17°N.  This could give us the opportunity (weather permitting) to see some Southern Hemisphere objects such as Omega Centauri, Southern Cross, Jewel Box and Eta Carinae. (objects will reach approximately 10° in altitude.  A clear view to the south is needed to see these objects) 

Maya concepts of time
With the development of the place-notational Long Count calendar (believed to have been inherited from other Mesoamerican cultures), the Maya had an elegant system with which events could be recorded in a linear relationship to one another, and also with respect to the calendar ("linear time") itself. In theory, this system could readily be extended to delineate any length of time desired, by simply adding to the number of higher-order place markers used (and thereby generating an ever-increasing sequence of day-multiples, each day in the sequence uniquely identified by its Long Count number). In practice, most Maya Long Count inscriptions confine themselves to noting only the first five coefficients in this system (a b'ak'tun-count), since this was more than adequate to express any historical or current date (20 b'ak'tuns cover 7,885 solar years). Even so, example inscriptions exist which noted or implied lengthier sequences, indicating that the Maya well understood a linear (past-present-future) conception of time.