Four other sites

The four following sites are not lunar. They have been used here because they have some clear hill horizons where chance alignments might be found.  The stones are simply used as random but known points from which to make observations.

The sites from north to south are:

1) #6 Barcaldine Castle Farm,  NM 912 402   Thom - , Ruggles -
2) #9 Taynuilt: NN 0120 3115  Thom - , Ruggles LN14
3) #17 Craigantairbh: NM 8595 0157  Thom A2/23 , Ruggles AR9
4) #33 Upper Fernoch:NR 7280 8614   Thom  - ,  Ruggles  AR38

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1) #6 Barcaldine Castle Farm:  NM 912 402  Thom - , Ruggles

This stone is not given by either Thom of Ruggles, but it appears genuine and is listed on RCAHMS. There are prehistoric cairns in the vicinity.

The pencil like stone ( 2.1m x 0.45m x 0.2m) is on a low hilltop. 

The stone is a somewhat rough slab, orientated about 60/240° and of moderate size.  No alignment was found. (The chances are poor that the position for an alignment would coincide with a hilltop.)

There are distant views to the north east:-

Measurements were made of those clear skylines with significant declinations. These were to the NE and a limited region to the SW.  No chance alignments we found.

2) #9 Taynuilt:  NN 0120 3115  Thom -, Ruggles LN14

A squat stone about 1.2m tall and of approximately triangular section. It gives the appearance having once been bigger.  There is no indicated direction.  To the south the horizon has some features, but no alignment was found. Nor to ENE where there are hills.  Other directions are distant and/or featureless.

3# 17 Craigantairbh: NM 8595 0157 Thom A2/23 , Ruggles AR9

This was a very large stone some 5m tall. However the upper 2/3 was broken off in a gale in 1879.  The lower part although leaning slightly is firmly set in its stone hole. It is aligned approximately 75/255°.    Thom had assessed this stone as indicating the equinox for the setting sun (255°).  See under Argyll; non-lunar sites.

Other directions with clear horizons were checked for chance alignments.  None were found:-

Comments:- 1) There is no clear point against which to observe the moon.

2) Additionally the same comments apply as made for an equivalent theoretical alignment at Random Site 1:-

The Minor Standstill would be awkward to observe since the moon is not in a unique position.  In the north, the least difficult minor standstill moon to observe would be the minimum declination. i.e. for -Δ , not +Δ, as here; (or the opposite for the southern minor moon as found at #12 Sluggan and #18 Glennan: i.e. preferably +Δ in the south)

(References Thom & Thom 1980 (JHA xi) p S78 ; A.S.Thom 1981, BAR 88, p 17 )

4) #33 Upper Fernoch: NR 7280 8614  Thom - , Ruggles AR38

As explained before this is stone apparently serves as an indicator.  There is no alignment. However there are (unindicated) distant horizons with some features. These were examined for the presence of chance alignments.  None were found.