Who 'discovered' averted vision?

[johnfosteruk]

Aristotle apparently, or at least possibly was the first to document it's use for astronomical purposes. Another lovely piece from Professor Merrifield.

 

[xtreemchaos]

It was cavemen, to avoid looking at there wifes hairy arm pits , sorry I couldn't help myself. charl.

[johnfosteruk]

1 minute ago, xtreemchaos said:

It was cavemen, to avoid looking at there wifes hairy arm pits , sorry I couldn't help myself. charl.

It wasn't Mrs Ugg's fault, the ladyshave hadn't been invented yet!!

[laudropb]

Very interesting video John, thanks for posting.

[DRT]

59 minutes ago, xtreemchaos said:

It was cavemen, to avoid looking at there wifes hairy arm pits , sorry I couldn't help myself. charl.

Or perhaps Cavewomen

 

 

[Alien 13]

It must have come about when early hunters were trying to spot prey during twilight hours.

Alan

[DRT]

Just now, Alien 13 said:

It must have come about when early hunters were trying to spot prey during twilight hours.

Alan

Sounds more likely. I don't think enough time has passed for the ability to have evolved amongst astronomers, which could only happen if we were an isolated breeding species  

[johnfosteruk]

Just now, DRT said:

which could only happen if we were an isolated breeding species  

Sounds like a good idea to me!!!

To correct my original post It should read earliest documented use rather than the first to document it - I'm sure other documents existed but just haven't survived.

[RichM63]

Nope you are all wrong!

It was 'Clarence the Cross-eyed Lion'! or at least one of his ancestors.

Rich

[laowhoo]

 

LOL My first thought was Lucy. As for Mrs. Ugg, reminds me of Chesterton's quip about Mr. Ugg bashing her over the head or dragging her about by her hair, to wh/ Gilbert said, "How do we know she didn't deserve it?" Ouch. Look away

[Moonshane]

I'd have thought it evolved due to the need to avoid predators at night. Obviously those that did not have developed averted vision would have been eaten before they passed on the gene 

[Stu]

54 minutes ago, Moonshane said:

I'd have thought it evolved due to the need to avoid predators at night. Obviously those that did not have developed averted vision would have been eaten before they passed on the gene 

I know the feeling! When trying to observe on safari, in a camp which had no fences, I was far more bothered about the chance of being eaten so didn't see nearly as much as I should have done!

To more usefully answer the OPs question, I found this reference to the earliest documented use being around 340 BC

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1977JRASC..71..327B

[johnfosteruk]

2 minutes ago, Stu said:

I know the feeling! When trying to observe on safari, in a camp which had no fences, I was far more bothered about the chance of being eaten so didn't see nearly as much as I should have done!

To more usefully answer the OPs question, I found this reference to the earliest documented use being around 340 BC

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1977JRASC..71..327B

That's the reference in the video I think, Aristotle, comets etc. Nice find.

[DHEB]

Interesting. Shouldn't we say "discovered", instead of "invented"?

[johnfosteruk]

1 hour ago, DHEB said:

Interesting. Shouldn't we say "discovered", instead of "invented"?

Quite right