Karl Palmen's Rainbow Calendars

I've invented two Solar Calendars a Rainbow Alphabet and Double Rainbow calendar that use colours from the Rainbow

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Rainbow Alphabet Calendar

This calendar has 52 rainbow weeks named after the letters of the alphabet 'A' to 'Z' and 'a' to 'z'. The days of the rainbow week are
Redday, Orangeday, Yellowday, Greenday, Blueday, Indigoday and Violetday. Week 'z' also has a Purpleday and in leap years a Magentaday. The Purpledays and Magentadays ensure that there are exactly 52 rainbow weeks in a year. They cause the rainbow week to move relative to the 7 day week, between each Rainbow Alphabet year.

I chose the new year so that the Solstices occur in week 'M' and 'm' and the equinoxes in weeks 'Z' and 'z'. This I acheived by making March 27 into the new year day (Redday A) and this ensures the the equinoxes and solstices stay in their week (for UT) until year 3200.

Below is a conversion table to/from our Gregorian Calendar:

   Northern Sun                    Southern Sun
  RE OR YE GR BL IN VI            RE OR YE GR BL IN VI            
A 27 28 29 30 31  1 02 Mar/Apr  a 25 26 27 28 29 30  1 Sep/Oct
B 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 Apr      b 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 Oct
C 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Apr      c 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 Oct
D 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Apr      d 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Oct
E 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Apr      e 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Oct
F  1 02 03 04 05 06 07 May      f 30 31  1 02 03 04 05 Oct/Nov
G 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 May      g 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Nov
H 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 May      h 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Nov
I 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 May      i 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Nov
J 29 30 31  1 02 03 04 May/Jun  j 27 28 29 30  1 02 03 Nov/Dec
K 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Jun      k 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Dec
L 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Jun      l 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Dec
M 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Jun      m 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Dec
  RE OR YE GR BL IN VI            RE OR YE GR BL IN VI            
N 26 27 28 29 30  1 02 Jun/Jul  n 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Dec
O 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 Jul      o  1 02 03 04 05 06 07 Jan
P 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Jul      p 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 Jan
Q 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Jul      q 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Jan
R 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Jul      r 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Jan
S 31  1 02 03 04 05 06 Jul/Aug  s 29 30 31  1 02 03 04 Jan/Feb
T 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 Aug      t 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Feb
U 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Aug      u 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Feb
V 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Aug      v 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Feb
W 28 29 30 31  1 02 03 Aug/Sep  w 26 27 28 then as below …
X 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Sep        RE OR YE GR BL IN VI            
Y 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Sep      
Z 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Sep  
  RE OR YE GR BL IN VI                
    
Common Years:                     Leap Years:
  RE OR YE GR BL IN VI            RE OR YE GR BL IN VI            
w 26 27 28  1 02 03 04 Feb/Mar  w 26 27 28 29  1 02 03 Feb/Mar
x 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Mar      x 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Mar
y 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Mar      y 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Mar
z 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Mar   z 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Mar
  RE OR YE GR BL IN VI PU         RE OR YE GR BL IN VI PU MA

Rainbow Week:
1 RE Redday
2 OR Orangeday
3 YE Yellowday
4 GR Greenday
5 BL Blueday
6 IN Indigoday
7 VI Violetday
8 PU Purpleday (week z only)
9 MA Magentaday (week z in leap years only)

Example dates:
May 1 = Redday big F
August 24 = Greenday big V
December 25 = Redday little n (Noel)
January 1 = Redday little o
February 17 = Indigoday little u

Historical Note

This version of the Rainbow Alphabet calendar replaces one that was here until November 2010. The earlier version had the new year day 92 days earlier (normally Dec 25), and had an annual Magentaday in week 'Z', instead of a Purpleday in week 'z'. I made the change to ensure that the solstices and equinoxes remain in their weeks for more years and that each Rainbow Alphabet year has its weeks beginning on the same day of the 7-day week.

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Double Rainbow Calendar

Someone suggested a rainbow calendar the 7 rainbow seasons

Spring: Blue (1/4), Green, Yellow (1/2) 
Summer: Yellow (1/2), Orange, Red (1/4) 
Autumn: Red (3/4), Violet 
Winter: Indigo, Blue (3/4). 

I think six colours would be better (e.g. Violet, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red).

I then realise each season could have 61 days, except one in a common year with 60. I've chosen the seasons to be

Violet  December 1 - January 30
Blue    January 31 - March 31
Green      April 1 - May 31
Yellow      June 1 - July 31
Orange    August 1 - September 30
Red      October 1 - November 30

I've chosen the above for easy convertability to/from the Gregorian Calendar.

Also there is a rainbow week normally of six days, whose colours correspond to the seasons and occur in the same order (i.e. Violetday, Blueday, etc.). Each season begins on its own colour day (e.g. Yellow on Yellowday) So this forms a Double Rainbow Calendar.

In a common year the season of Blue has only 60 days instead of 61. The day that is skipped is day 30 (rather than 61). The corresponding day of the rainbow week (which is Violetday) is also skipped. So Redday 29 Blue is always February 28 and Blueday 31 Blue is always March 1.

Example Dates:
August 25 = Orangeday 25 Orange
March 17 = Redday 47 Blue

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Copyright 2010 Karl Palmen