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30,000 BCE
c30,000 BC
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. -
4000 BCE
c4000 BC
Mesopotamian ziggurats serve as observatories. Mesopotamian astronomers made careful observations from the tops of pyramid-like towers called ziggurats. -
2500 BCE
c2500 BC
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. 2.4, F 1.1, p. 32. -
2000 BCE
c2000 BC
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. -
2000 BCE
c2000 BC
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. -
1300 BCE
c1300 BC
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
c700 BC
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
c700 BC
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
585 BC
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
c580 BC
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
c560 BC
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
c550 BC
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.
