Theories of the Motions of the Sun and the Moon

Solar Theory

Lunar Theory

Lunar & Solar Eclipses

The Lunar Eclipses of the 7th Year of Cambyses

The text BM 33066 (78-11-7, 4 = Strm. Kambys. 400 = LBAT 1477) mentions two lunar eclipses (on 16 July 523 BC & 10 January 522 BC) that occurred during the 7th year of the Persian king Cambyses. The first lunar eclipse is also mentioned in Ptolemy’s Almagest (book V, chapter 14).

Babylonian Observations of Lunar Eclipses in Ptolemy’s Almagest

Ptolemy’s Almagest mentions the details of ten lunar eclipses that were originally recorded in Babylon:

  1. In the 1st year of Mardokempad ([27th year from Nabonassar], 29/30 Thoth of the Egyptian calendar = 19/20 March 721 BC), a lunar eclipse began well an hour after moonrise at Babylon and was total (Almagest IV 6).
  2. In the 2nd year of Mardokempad ([28th year from Nabonassar], 18/19 Thoth of the Egyptian calendar = 8/9 March 720 BC), a lunar eclipse occurred with a [maximum] obscuration of 3 digits from the south at midnight in Babylon (Almagest IV 6 & 9).
  3. In the 2nd year of Mardokempad ([28th year from Nabonassar], 15/16 Phamenoth of the Egyptian calendar = 1/2 September 720 BC), a lunar eclipse began after moonrise and the [maximum] obscuration was more than half [the diameter] from the north (Almagest IV 6).
  4. In the 5th year of Nabopolassar (127th year from Nabonassar, 27/28 Athyr of the Egyptian calendar = 21/22 April 621 BC), a lunar eclipse began at the end of the 11th hour in Babylon. The maximum obscuration was 1/4 of the diameter from the south (Almagest V 14).
  5. In the 7th year of Cambyses (225th year from Nabonassar, 17/18 Phamenoth of the Egyptian calendar = 16/17 July 523 BC), the Moon was eclipsed half its diameter from the north at one hour before midnight in Babylon (Almagest V 14).
  6. In the 20th year of Darius I ([246th year from Nabonassar], 28/29 Epiphi of the Egyptian calendar = 19/20 November 502 BC), the Moon was obscured 1/4 of its diameter from the south when 6 1/3 equinoctial hours of the night had passed in Babylon (Almagest IV 9).
  7. In the 31st year of Darius I ([257th year from Nabonassar], 3/4 Tybi of the Egyptian calendar = 25/26 April 491 BC), the Moon was obscured 2 digits from the south at the middle of the 6th hour [of the night] in Babylon (Almagest IV 9).
  8. During the archonship of Phanostratos at Athens, in the month Poseideon (366th year from Nabonassar, 26/27 Thoth of the Egyptian calendar = 22/23 December 383 BC), a small section of the Moon’s diameter was eclipsed from the summer rising-point [north-east] when half an hour of the night was remaining. The Moon was still [partially] eclipsed at moonset (Almagest IV 11).
  9. During the archonship of Phanostratos at Athens, in the month Skirophorion (366th year from Nabonassar, 24/25 Phamenoth of the Egyptian calendar = 18/19 June 382 BC), the Moon was eclipsed from the summer rising-point [north-east] when the first hour [of the night] was well advanced (Almagest IV 11).
  10. During the archonship of Euandros at Athens, in the month Poseideon I (367th year from Nabonassar, 16/17 Thoth of the Egyptian calendar = 12/13 December 382 BC), the Moon was totally eclipsed, from the summer rising-point [north-east], after 4 hours [of the night] had passed (Almagest IV 11).

So far, the 5th and the last three observations have been found duplicated in cuneiform records.

Return to the page top Return to home