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30,000 BCE
Bone carvings keep track of phases of the moon
Early people engraved patterns of lines on animal bones to keep track of the phases of the moon. -
2500 BCE
Building of Stonehenge
It took place over many centuries. Alignments of the stones at Stonehenge mark the rising and setting points of the sun of the solstices. -
2000 BCE
Temple of Amen-Ra at Karnak
The temple of Amen-Ra at Karnak, Egypt was built so that its main axis point to the sunset at the summer solstice. -
2000 BCE
Lunar eclipse observed at Ur in Mesopotamia
The oldest known recording of a lunar eclipse took place at Ur more than 4,000 years ago -
700 BCE
Hesiod describes practical uses for astronomy
Hesiod's poem "The Works and Days" contains practical astronomical advice for navigation and for agricultural activities. -
580 BCE
Anaximander describes model of Earth, Sun, Moon, and Stars
His model was the forerunner of later Greek attempts to explain the heavens is non-mythological terms -
450 BCE
Herodotus concludes Earth is at least thousands of years old.
His reasoned that it would have taken millennia for the annual Nile flood to have produced the Nile Delta. -
250 BCE
Eratosthenes finds circumference of Earth
Eratosthenes uses observation of the altitude of the Sun to find the circumference of the Earth -
1 BCE
Building of Bighorn Medicine Wheel.
Plains Indians of North America built medicine wheels, monuments made of piles of stones. -
Oct 3, 1066
Comet Halley considered ill omen for King Harold.
The appearance of Comet Halley in 1066 was considered an ill omen for Harold, King of England. -
Oct 3, 1200
Established the first universities in Europe.
The development of astronomy was aided by the birth of universities at Bologna, Oxford, Paris, and a few other European cities. -
Oct 4, 1504
Columbus used lunar eclipse prediction to influence Arawak's.
From his almanac, Columbus knew that a lunar eclipse would occur on Feb. 29.
