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| | Return to [[babylonian_astronomy|]] |
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| ====== Observations ====== | ====== Observations ====== |
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| “On the 25<sup>th</sup> of month Addaru, Venus disappeared in the east; year of the golden throne”. | ''“On the 25<sup>th</sup> of month Addaru, Venus disappeared in the east; year of the golden throne”.'' |
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| **Goal-year texts** | **Goal-year texts** |
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| One group are the so-called Goal-year texts (Sachs and Hunger 2006). [[http://cdli.ucla.edu/search/archival_view.php?ObjectID=P257582|P257582 = LBAT %%**%%1295]] | One group are the so-called Goal-year texts (Sachs and Hunger 2006). [[http://cdli.ucla.edu/search/archival_view.php?ObjectID=P257582|P257582 = LBAT #1295]] |
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| This too is not a Babylonian name but a modern one; the Babylonian title is „first days, appearances, passings, and eclipses which were established for year x“. They contain materials for the prediction of planetary and lunar phenomena for a certain year, the goal year. Planetary phenomena occur after a certain number of years at almost the same calendar date within a Babylonian year. Every planet and the moon have different periods of this kind and therefore a separate section in the Goal-year texts. The phenomena of the planet are collected from a year which is by one period earlier than the goal year. The first section, e. g., contains the phenomena of Jupiter from a year which preceded the goal year by 71 years. In a similar way data for the other planets and for the moon are presented, in each case by one period earlier than the goal year. The periods are 71 or 83 years for Jupiter, 8 years for Venus, 46 for Mercury, 59 for Saturn, and 79 or 47 for Mars. | This too is not a Babylonian name but a modern one; the Babylonian title is „first days, appearances, passings, and eclipses which were established for year x“. They contain materials for the prediction of planetary and lunar phenomena for a certain year, the goal year. Planetary phenomena occur after a certain number of years at almost the same calendar date within a Babylonian year. Every planet and the moon have different periods of this kind and therefore a separate section in the Goal-year texts. The phenomena of the planet are collected from a year which is by one period earlier than the goal year. The first section, e. g., contains the phenomena of Jupiter from a year which preceded the goal year by 71 years. In a similar way data for the other planets and for the moon are presented, in each case by one period earlier than the goal year. The periods are 71 or 83 years for Jupiter, 8 years for Venus, 46 for Mercury, 59 for Saturn, and 79 or 47 for Mars. |
| **Almanacs** | **Almanacs** |
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| Another group are called Almanacs (by modern scholars); they look somewhat like calendars (Sachs and Hunger 2014) [Pxxxxxx = Louvre AO 8530] or [[http://cdli.ucla.edu/search/archival_view.php?ObjectID=P364008|P364008 = LBAT 1199]]. They contain predictions for a whole Babylonian year in 12 or 13 sections, one for each month. At the beginning of each monthly section, the length of the preceding month, 29 or 30 days, is given. Then follows a summary of where the five planets were at the beginning of the month. The remaining data are then arranged chronologically. For most of the planetary phenomena, the zodiacal sign in which they occurred is mentioned. It is also indicated when a planet moved from one zodiacal sign into another. Further listed are the solstices and equinoxes, and the appearances of the star Sirius, computed according to the same scheme that provided these data in the Diaries. Sometimes the risings of other fixed stars are mentioned too. The Almanacs also contain data for eclipses. Lunar eclipses which are visible in Babylon are predicted, sometimes with an indication of their magnitude. If a solar eclipse is considered possible, the almanacs add the remark "to be watched for" because the Babylonians could not predict whether a solar eclipse would actually be visible. | Another group are called Almanacs (by modern scholars); they look somewhat like calendars (Sachs and Hunger 2014) [[http://cdli.ucla.edu/search/search_results.php?SearchMode=Text&requestFrom=Search&PrimaryPublication=&Author=&PublicationDate=&SecondaryPublication=&Collection=&AccessionNumber=&MuseumNumber=AO+08530&Provenience=&ExcavationNumber=&Period=&DatesReferenced=&ObjectType=&ObjectRemarks=&Material=&TextSearch=&TranslationSearch=&CommentSearch=&StructureSearch=&Language=&Genre=&SubGenre=&CompositeNumber=&SealID=&ObjectID=&ATFSource=&CatalogueSource=&TranslationSource=|P492960]] or [[http://cdli.ucla.edu/search/archival_view.php?ObjectID=P364008|P364008 = LBAT 1199]]. They contain predictions for a whole Babylonian year in 12 or 13 sections, one for each month. At the beginning of each monthly section, the length of the preceding month, 29 or 30 days, is given. Then follows a summary of where the five planets were at the beginning of the month. The remaining data are then arranged chronologically. For most of the planetary phenomena, the zodiacal sign in which they occurred is mentioned. It is also indicated when a planet moved from one zodiacal sign into another. Further listed are the solstices and equinoxes, and the appearances of the star Sirius, computed according to the same scheme that provided these data in the Diaries. Sometimes the risings of other fixed stars are mentioned too. The Almanacs also contain data for eclipses. Lunar eclipses which are visible in Babylon are predicted, sometimes with an indication of their magnitude. If a solar eclipse is considered possible, the almanacs add the remark "to be watched for" because the Babylonians could not predict whether a solar eclipse would actually be visible. |
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| A sub-group was named “Normal-Star Almanacs” by A. Sachs. These contain in addition the dates when the planets passed one of the Normal Stars (as described above unter Diaries). | A sub-group was named “Normal-Star Almanacs” by A. Sachs. These contain in addition the dates when the planets passed one of the Normal Stars (as described above unter Diaries). |
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| Normal Star Almanac for SE 150 month V (Sachs and Hunger 2014 No. 64): | Normal Star Almanac for SE 150 month V (Sachs and Hunger 2014 No. 64): |
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| [Month V,] (the 1<sup>st</sup> of which will be identical with) the 30<sup>th</sup> (of the preceding month). The 16<sup>th</sup>, first moonset after sunrise. The 27<sup>th</sup>, last visibility of the moon before sunrise. | ''[Month V,] (the 1<sup>st</sup> of which will be identical with) the 30<sup>th</sup> (of the preceding month). The 16<sup>th</sup>, first moonset after sunrise. The 27<sup>th</sup>, last visibility of the moon before sunrise. |
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| The 3<sup>rd</sup>, Mars will reach Leo. The 4<sup>th</sup>, last part of the night, Mars’ first appearance in the east in the beginning of Leo. Night of the 5<sup>th</sup>, first part of the night, Venus 1 finger above α Virginis, it will come close. The 7<sup>th</sup>, Venus will reach Libra. This day, Saturn stationary in Sagittarius. The 14<sup>th</sup>, first part of the night, Mercury’s last appearance in the west in Virgo. This day, lunar eclipse in Aquarius, “extraneous”, will be omitted. The 15<sup>th</sup>, with sunset, Jupiter’s acronychal rising in the east in Aquarius. Night of the 18<sup>th</sup>, first part of the night, Venus 1⅔ cubits below α Librae. Night of the 29<sup>th</sup>, solar eclipse in Virgo which will be omitted. | The 3<sup>rd</sup>, Mars will reach Leo. The 4<sup>th</sup>, last part of the night, Mars’ first appearance in the east in the beginning of Leo. Night of the 5<sup>th</sup>, first part of the night, Venus 1 finger above α Virginis, it will come close. The 7<sup>th</sup>, Venus will reach Libra. This day, Saturn stationary in Sagittarius. The 14<sup>th</sup>, first part of the night, Mercury’s last appearance in the west in Virgo. This day, lunar eclipse in Aquarius, “extraneous”, will be omitted. The 15<sup>th</sup>, with sunset, Jupiter’s acronychal rising in the east in Aquarius. Night of the 18<sup>th</sup>, first part of the night, Venus 1⅔ cubits below α Librae. Night of the 29<sup>th</sup>, solar eclipse in Virgo which will be omitted.'' |
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