The Ancient Fear of Eclipses: How Humans Learned to Predict Them

🌑Ancient people were terrified of eclipses, and they came up with various explanations for them.

🌍Lunar eclipses played a key role in understanding eclipse patterns.

🌒Stonehenge was likely built to observe the sky and track the timing of lunar eclipses.

🌞Chinese astronomers made the oldest suspected mention of an eclipse, but early descriptions were too vague for modern astronomers to pinpoint.

🚀Babylonian astronomers discovered that lunar eclipses repeat every 18 years, 11 days, and eight hours, leading to the development of the saros cycle.

Why were ancient people terrified of eclipses?

—For ancient people, the sudden disappearance of the sun or moon from the sky was a frightening experience, leading to various explanations and superstitions.

How did ancient people try to explain eclipses?

—Ancient people had different explanations for eclipses, including the belief that a dragon or some other creature was eating the celestial body.

What role did Stonehenge play in understanding eclipses?

—Stonehenge, with its alignment to the movements of the sun and moon, was likely used to track the timing of lunar eclipses.

Who made the oldest suspected mention of an eclipse?

—Chinese astronomers made the oldest suspected mention of an eclipse, but their early descriptions were too vague to determine the exact timing.

How did Babylonian astronomers contribute to understanding eclipse patterns?

—Babylonian astronomers discovered that lunar eclipses repeat in a cycle known as the saros, which lasts 18 years, 11 days, and eight hours.

00:00Eclipses were terrifying for ancient people, and they came up with various explanations for them, including the belief that a dragon was eating the sun or moon.

01:23The oldest suspected mention of an eclipse was made by Chinese astronomers, but their early descriptions were too vague for modern astronomers to determine the exact timing.

01:53Babylonian astronomers discovered that lunar eclipses repeat in a cycle known as the saros, which lasts 18 years, 11 days, and eight hours.

02:47Lunar eclipses were key in understanding eclipse patterns, as they could be seen from the entire nighttime half of the planet.

03:15Today, we can accurately predict eclipses and even calculate their paths centuries in advance, thanks to the knowledge passed down from ancient astronomers.