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40,000 BCE
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamian ziggurats serve as observatories. Mesopotamian astronomers made careful observations from the tops of pyramid-like towers called ziggurats. -
30,000 BCE
Bone carvings
Bone carvings keep track of phases of Moon. Early people engraved patterns of lines on animal bones to keep track of the phases of the Moon. p. 17, F OV 1.6. -
2500 BCE
building of stonehenge
Building of Stonehenge. The building of Stonehenge took place over many centuries. Alignments of the stones at Stonehenge mark the rising and setting points of the Sun at the solstices. p. -
2000 BCE
Temple of Amen-Ra at Karnak
Temple of Amen-Ra at Karnak. The Temple of Amen-Ra at Karnak, Egypt was built so that its main axis points to the sunset at the summer solstice. p. 33. -
2000 BCE
Lunar eclipse
Lunar eclipse observed at Ur in Mesopotamia. The oldest known recording of a lunar eclipse took place at Ur more than 4000 years ago. p. 37, F 1.15. -
1300 BCE
Chinese Astronomers
Chinese begin centuries long series of obs of eclipses. Chinese astronomers recorded 900 solar and 600 lunar eclipses over a period of 2600 years. p. 46. -
700 BCE
Babylonians predict lunar eclipses.
The Babylonians used their long record of eclipses to see regular patterns of eclipses. They used these patterns to predict lunar eclipses. -
700 BCE
Hesiod's poem
Hesiod describes practical uses for astronomy. Hesiod's poem The Works and Days contains practical astronomical advice for navigation and for agricultural activities. -
585 BCE
Thales said to have predicted solar eclipse.
The eclipse took place during a battle between the Lydians and the Persians. They were so stunned by the eclipse they ended the battle. p. 38, F 1.16. -
580 BCE
Anaximander describes model of Earth, Sun, Moon, stars.
Anaximander's model was the forerunner of later Greek attempts to explain the heavens in non-mythological terms. -
560 BCE
Anaximenes proposes model of cosmos
In Anaximenes model the stars are fixed to the inside of a solid vault surrounding the Earth. Later Greek astronomers develop this idea into the concept of the celestial sphere. -
550 BCE
Pythagoras and students develop model of solar system
The model of Pythagoras used circular paths for the celestial bodies and assumed most celestial bodies are spheres. p. 39. -
30 BCE
Astronomy Timeline
