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Mahutonga: Did Proto-Polynesian Astronomers Record the Supernova of AD 185?

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Exploring the History of New Zealand Astronomy

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library ((ASSL,volume 422))

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Abstract

Maori astronomical traditions refer to Mahutonga, which can be interpreted as a possible record of a supernova seen in or near Crux. A search for known ‘young’ supernova remnants in this region does not reveal any obvious candidate to associate with this possible supernova. Relaxing the positional constraint slightly, the supernova of AD 185 near α Centauri is close by. If this is indeed associated with Mahutonga, then the Maori term must be a relic from an earlier Proto-Polynesian record.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    McIntosh (1965) believes that the Maoris used the name Mahutonga to refer to an invisible star that they assumed was at the South Celestial Pole. However, this spot is a considerable distance away from the Crux-Coal Sack region.

  2. 2.

    G299.2-2.9 was reported as a possible young SNR by Busser, Egger and Aschenbach (1996, but their interpretation is not supported by the more detailed discussions of Slane, Vancura and Hughes (1996).

  3. 3.

    But see Stothers (1977) for a possible European record of this SN.

  4. 4.

    Australian radio observations of this SNR are summarised in Orchiston and Slee (2006).

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Acknowledgements

I am grateful to the following for their assistance: Jenni Chrisstoffels (Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, NZ), Dr David Green (Cambridge University, England), Dr Duane Hamacher (University of New South Wales, Sydney) and Professor Richard Stephenson (Durham University, England). I also wish to thank Duane Hamacher for reading and commenting on the first draft of this chapter, and the Alexander Turnbull Library and David Green for kindly supplying Figs. 3.1 and 3.6.

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  1. National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Wayne Orchiston

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Orchiston, W. (2016). Mahutonga: Did Proto-Polynesian Astronomers Record the Supernova of AD 185?. In: Exploring the History of New Zealand Astronomy. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 422. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22566-1_3

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