Celestial Science & Mathematical Astronomy
From scanning the sky for omens grew real astronomy — the zodiac, eclipse prediction, the first exact science of the heavens.
Out of centuries of watching the sky for omens, Babylonian scholars built one of the ancient world's great sciences. They catalogued the stars (the MUL.APIN compendium), divided the ecliptic into the twelve signs of the zodiac, tracked the planets, and devised arithmetical methods to predict lunar and planetary positions and eclipses with remarkable accuracy — without geometry, by pure calculation. This mathematical astronomy, the achievement of named late scholars and anonymous experts alike, was transmitted to the Greeks and underlies much of later astronomy and astrology. It is Mesopotamia's most enduring contribution to the exact sciences.
Key passages(20)
On the 1st day the Moon is present (for) 3;45 - three (and) two-thirds.... It is present for 3 UŠ 45 nindanu. On the 2nd day it is present for 7;30 - seven (and) a half. It is present for 7 UŠ 30 nind
Tap to expand
If you (want to) make a prediction for the zodiacal sign of the price of barley: (gloss: break) you seek the movements of the planets and you observe the appearance (and) disappearance, the last visib
Tap to expand
Year 1 hundred 13 (SE), Tašritu (VII), night of the 14th: the baby was born. On that day the Sun was in the Scorpion. The Moon was in the Bull of Heaven. The White Star (Jupiter)... in 10º Goatfish at
Tap to expand
[... ] 5th, Aristocrates was born. On that day, the Moon was in the Lion. The Sun was in 12;30º Twins. The Moon set its face from the node to the maximum latitude. If (the Moon) sets its face from the
Tap to expand
Ululu (Month VI), the 1st (of which follows the 30th of the preceding month). The 13th, moonset-after-sunrise. The Moon, 5... [... ]. Tašritu (Month VII), (the 1st of which is identical with) the 30th
Tap to expand
[... ] the night-time watch [... ] 9 UŠ [... ]. [... ] the night-time watch is 2 1/2 minas. The setting [... ] is 10 UŠ. [... ] the night-time watch is 2 2/3 minas. The rising [... ] is 10 UŠ, 40 nind
Tap to expand
A planet appears in Nisannu (I): (this means) Jupiter, alternatively Mercury, appears in Nisannu (I). A planet keeps appearing in Nisannu (I): devouring by Nergal, flood: (this means) Mars appears in
Tap to expand
[... ] (Day) 28: last visibility. (Day) 29: first appearance of ŠU.PA. [... ]... 14, on the 28th day... [... ]. [... ]... Saturn [... ] in the west in the Great One [... ] [... ].... (Day) 26: last vi
Tap to expand
[... ] 14... [... ]. [... ] 15, [... ] on Simanu (Month III)... [... ]. [... ] 16, (the sun) stood (at the solstice) on Simanu 24. [... ]. [... ] year 17, it stood on Duʾuzu (Month IV) 5. [... ]. [...
Tap to expand
Eclipses of the Moon. [ Year 2 of ] Artaxerxes, in Ayyaru (Month II) it passed by. In Tašritu (VII), (after) 5 months, it passed by. [... ]... in the daylight of sunrise. Year 3, in Ululu (VI) it pass
Tap to expand
[... ] half of the visible surface. On the [... ] day [... ] [... ]. On the 28th day, the day of the moon's disappearance: the visible surface will [ grow ]. [... ].... On the 8th day: half of the vis
Tap to expand
1. By the command of Anu and Antu, may it go well. (If) at the start of winter, in Ululu or in Tašritu, Mercury or Venus appears in the east: that year there will be rain. (If) at the start of summer
Tap to expand
The Plough, Ellil, leader of the stars of Ellil; the Wolf, seed-funnel of the Plough; the Old Man, Enmešara; the Crook, Gamlu; the Great Twins, Lugalira and Meslamtaea; the Small Twins, Alammuš and Ni
Tap to expand
[... ] on the 15th day of Nisannu (I) [... ] middle of the Goatfish [... ]. (If) on the 15th day of Ayyaru (II) with the rising [... ] and the Great One are in balance: 1 in Arahsamnu (VIII) in the ev
Tap to expand
In the 44th year (that) Artaxerxes was king the sun stood (at the solstice) in Simanu (month III). In (each) year [... ] 11 days. 1 (times) 11. 11 and 16 (are) 27. In the 45th year the sun stood on 27
Tap to expand
By the command of Anu and Antu, may it go well. The Leopard is dark (means) the Moon will undergo an eclipse in the evening watch. The Swallow is dark (means) the Moon will undergo an eclipse in the m
Tap to expand
By the command of Anu and Antu may (this work) go well. 1 sixty, 48 1 " When Anu, Ellil." 2 sixties, 12 " (If) the Moon at its appearance is eclipsed." 2 sixties, 19 " (If) the Moon at its appearance
Tap to expand
The Sun travels the path the Moon travels. Šulpae (Jupiter) travels the path the Moon travels. Venus travels the path the Moon travels. Mars travels the path the Moon travels. Mercury, whose name is N
Tap to expand
[... ] 21;58 [... ] [ 11 ];42° 23;10 [... ] [ 11 ];54° 23;22 [... ] [ 12 ];06° 23;34 (year) 4, [... ] ; 18° 23;46 5, Kislimu 20; [... ] ; 30° 23;58 6, Ṭebetu 13; [... ] ; 42° 24;10 7, Šabaṭu 8; [ 10..
Tap to expand
[... ] these [... ] for wax [... ] alabaster. [... ]... [... ]... exalted palace, Lugalira [... ] stand (in the path) of Ea. Venus, the Old Man, the Lion, the Great Twins, the Raven, the Scales, the S
Tap to expand