CHAT: SLIGHTLY CHAT: Calendars et al. (Was: Opinions on English)

Yoon Ha Lee wrote:
>That's true.  Hmm.  The main reason I haven't devised a calendar system
>to go along with Chevraqis is that I'm terrified that my boyfriend the
>physics major will come along, do some heavy-duty celestial mechanics
>calculations, get a size for the moons (several really small ones, which
>the Qenaren consider "moving stars" and a "moon" that they recognize as
>"something different") and planet, density, etc. and tell me my calendar
>is completely off. >
        Does your boyfriend regard conlang/culture/planet creation as
utterly frivolous and/or weird?  If not, turn him loose on the subject.  I
for one could use his services.  One of our colleagues here has a site (URL
on request) where you can sort-of  plug in numbers and get an answer , but
it assumes you understand the math and terminology at least a little.  I
don't, and get strange answers, like 60% of Earth gravity. No no no.

>I wish I knew more astrophysics.  :-/>
        Likewise, for sure.  Though many quite respectable SF writers seem
to get by without a lot of it-- e.g. Le Guin-- WHO BTW HAS A NEW BOOK OUT:
"The Telling", Harcourt, paperback too. (Advert. of 9/10)

>And I haven't the faintest clue how to calculate tides for a system with
>several moons.
        As our mothers sometimes say:  Because.