If any civilization flourished in Mesopotamia in a short period of time, it was the Babylonian civilization. In the April issue of which Babylon was the main center, I talked about the Aztec calendar. Which was the future calendar of the Maya civilization. But now I am talking about the first astronomical calendar of Babylonia.
It also included astronomical predictions for the next 54 years, calculations and proofs. Which is proving to be true even today. The language of Babylonia was different and their script was also different. But they emerged as a developed civilization in the panna of history. Even today the remnants from the lands bear witness to it.
Astronomers of ancient Babylonia (period 1894–1595 BCE) were famous for their detailed theories of the sky and accurate predictions of astronomical events. The Babylonians spent a lot of time looking at the sky and analyzing such phenomena.
It can be said that among the civilizations of ancient times, the most astronomical knowledge was in this civilization. By tracking the movements of the Sun and Moon, astronomers constructed lunar and solar calendars on stones. And could plan to grow the best crops according to the seasons.
By carefully studying the movements of celestial bodies across the sky, the Babylonians also pioneered early predictions of eclipses. Such rituals show how closely Babylonian astronomy and astrology were connected. With much scientific knowledge to back up their beliefs, ancient civilizations like Babylonia combined religion and science. They could make extremely accurate observations to determine what was happening in the universe.
- Saros Cycle:
The Saros cycle is one in which to predict and gather information about the entire eclipse event. In which the Babylonians analyzed the time between each eclipse. And finally they were able to formulate the Saros cycle. and presented upon the stone. (A fragment of the Saros Cycle stone found on the ground is today housed in the Syro Museum in Egypt.) They calculated that 38 eclipses could occur in a time frame of 223 months, which is about 18 years.
All eclipses during this period were part of the Saros cycle. Astronomers have learned over time that this cycle is not completely accurate. Some information is missing in it to some extent. This is because there are not always the same number of eclipses as shown in a saros cycle. After Babylonian astronomers further calculated the Saros cycle, the Babylonians multiplied the values of these cycles by three. And they observed it. and created a new 'Triple Saros Cycle' (Exeligmos).
It covered the next 54 years. This long-term activity was an attempt to collect data on any missed events. Over time these cycles and their predictions became more correct and accurate by taking into account the long-term astronomical movements. And his calculations were so accurate that his eclipse predictions proved quite fruitful over time.
The Babylonians needed to keep records to store the information they gained in order to predict such detailed events. For more than 3,000 years, they carved descriptions of celestial events into clay tablets and clay tablets. Of which now only a few fragments of Babylonian astronomy remain in ruins. What has survived suggests that it was the first successful attempt to provide a precise description of astronomical phenomena.
- How was the first signal decoded?
It is impossible to capture signals from the universe without today's sophisticated technology but it is true that the ancient Babylonians did capture some signals. Many such figures have been found on the stones which clearly showed that they were watching all the movements of the universe. If we talk about a figure,
it was showing that a dashed line from the top of the figure of a planet to another planet and a man standing below with two hands raised trying to capture it while other people are looking at him.
Historian of science Matthew Osendrijvar spent 13 years studying the entire Babylonian phenomenon. In which trapezoidal shapes were carved in various arrangements. By 2016, he realized that ancient astronomers were tracking the precise movements of Jupiter.
The sides of these different shapes were used to determine the speed of the planet's movements across the sky. His documented work shows that he used advanced mathematics. It is believed that a double eclipse (in which a lunar eclipse was followed by a solar eclipse) occurred in Babylonian times.
In 350 BCE, one of the main deities of ancient Babylonia was the god Marduk. Inscriptions indicate that this god's sacred star was Jupiter. Babylonian astronomical research seamlessly combined aspects of astronomy and astrology. Many scientists today uncover astronomical wonders to enhance our knowledge and expand the possibilities of space exploration, but ancient practices that emerged thousands of years ago were strongly aligned with religion and personal beliefs.
-- Bhautik Thummar
