Astronomy

## Calendar

There are 12 months in the Kaernest calendar. Each month has 4 weeks, each of 7 days. However at the end of each quarter, there are 2 days that fall outside of weeks, but are counted as part of the month that they come at the end of. In addition, there are 6 days at the beginning of the year that come before any week-days. The extra days at the end of each quarter are known as "Quarter Day" and "Pence Day". The days that come at the beginning of the year are known as "New Year's Day" and "Feast Day" (all 5 of them). This means that months 3, 6, 9, and 12 each have 30 days (as opposed to 28), and the first month has 34 days. The first three months of the year are spring, the second three are summer, the third three are fall, and the final 3 are winter. Adding all of this up results in 350 days in a year.

### Seasons

Unexpectedly, the seasons do have an impact on the length of days (and nights). Spring and Fall tend to have a close balance between day and night; 12 hours each. The shortest days of winter (in early winter) can be as short as 9 hours, with 15 hour nights. The longest days of summer have similar but reversed hours. Location on the lands do not impact these hours. The "dulled" seasons have impacted these hours as well, shifting an hour from day to night. This has made the short days of winter only 8 hours long, and the long days of summer only 14 hours long. This has obviously made things seem more dark on top of the poor cold weather.

#### True Winter

When the dragons came, the seasons became "dulled". A "true" spring hasn't happened in centuries. The weather improves, and its still the best time to plant crops, but this is not the spring of old. All year long, the weather seems to remain at least partially in winter (not necessarily snow and freezing cold, but dull and shorter days). The last 3 months have become to be known as "true winter" to separate them from the fact that many say that winter lasts all year long.

#### Long Winter

In some ways, the Long Winter is the opposite of the True Winter. This refers to the dulled seasons that have been here since the dragons arrived.

### Birth Month

There is significant amount of luck, fate, and even a little prestige associated with being born in the different months.

Being born in " true winter" is considered bad luck. It is considered very bad luck to be born in the 12th month, and also widely assumed that you'll be a ne'er-do-well or worse.

## Sun

On the first day of the week, the sun rises in the north and sets in the south-southwest.

On the second day of the week the sun rises in the south-southwest and sets in the northeast.

On the third day, the sun rises in the northeast and sets in the west-southwest.

On the fourth day, the sun rises in the west-southwest and sets in the east-southeast.

On the fifth day, the sun rises in the east-southeast and sets in the northwest.

On the sixth day, the sun rises in the northwest and sets in the south-southeast.

On the seventh day, the sun rises in the south-southeast and sets in the north.

## Moons

There are 3 moons of Kaernest. These moons never completely set.

### Kutni

Kutni is the fast, small bright moon that runs around the horizon. As it gets closer to dawn, it moves up into the sky by a few degrees, but spends the rest of its time just above the horizon. Over the course of the night, it starts roughly where the sun rose from in the morning, and runs all the way around the sky and on to the point where the sun will set that night. This means it travels more than one and a half times around the sky each day and night. It goes through all of its phases within a single night (and day), starting off as a new moon, and progressing through its phases, returning to "new" as it meets up with the sun just before it sets.

### Alkazzar

Alkazzar is the slowest of the moons, and is also the only moon who's path does not change. Over the course of approximately 4 weeks, Alkazzar moves through a rounded triangular track that goes from just northwest of the sky's zenith, down toward the horizon at a point at approximately 45 degrees (northeast), and 20 degrees off the horizon, then turns south, also heading closer to the horizon, to just skim it at a point at 100 degrees (south-southwest) where it turns back toward the zenith.

Alkazzar has a teal/green tint and appears to be a solid polished granite ball with many flaws on its surface. It's almost as large as Manam, and as bright as it is, its the moon most are thankful for while traveling at night as it's size and height in the sky makes it the greatest source of light at night.

### Manam

Manam is the largest but also dimmest of the moons. It has a dim bluish hue and bright spots. It follows a track that runs perpendicular to the stars, covering up many stars on its journey across the sky each night. To remain perpendicular to the stars, it's path is a very narrow "ellipse" but not a true ellipse. The top of its path is about 20 degrees shy of passing through the zenith of the sky. It takes a full day and a half to completely cross the sky; because of this, it starts the night far above the horizon on many nights.

## Stars

When the sun sets at night, it blooms into a shower of stars that explode from that spot, and streak across the sky. The pattern of stars is different every night, but they can have similarities; starting out slow and picking up speed, or starting out fast, to slow down in the later part of the night, clumping together, spreading apart, etc. These patterns are what astrologists use to predict the upcoming days, weeks, months, years, etc. They also have terms that are used to discuss the leading star(s) in the sky each night, the trailing star(s), and the stars that are covered by the various moons.