⏰ when
When Was the First Solar Eclipse Recorded?
astronomyhistory
Quick Answer
Ancient Chinese records describe a solar eclipse as early as around 2136 BC.
The Full Story
Chinese oracle bones and early texts mention a solar eclipse that may date to around 2136 BC, though the exact date is debated. The earliest precisely dated eclipse is from Babylonian records on 3 May 1375 BC (in Ugarit clay tablets). Ancient peoples often regarded eclipses as omens. The ability to predict eclipses was a major milestone — Greek astronomer Thales supposedly predicted the eclipse of 28 May 585 BC, which halted a battle between the Lydians and the Medes.
Key Facts
1.The Saros cycle, known to ancient Babylonians, predicts eclipse recurrence every 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours.
2.In Chinese myth, a celestial dragon was thought to devour the Sun during eclipses.
3.Total solar eclipses are possible because the Sun is about 400 times larger than the Moon but also about 400 times farther away.
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Ancient Eclipses — How Civilisations Recorded the Sun's Disappearance"