Lunar eclipse from 6/7. April 378 BC Chr.

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The lunar eclipse of June 6/7, noted in Babylonian sources . April 378 BC Chr. Belongs to the genus of ACT texts . This record acquired special significance through reference to the Achaemenid King Artaxerxes II. Today the cuneiform tablet BM 45640 is in the British Museum in London .

Babylonian mention

The astronomical event mentioned was a total lunar eclipse that had to be dated precisely based on the information in the cuneiform text. The lunar eclipse fell in a leap year of the Babylonian calendar and began in Babylonia on April 6  ,  378 BC. Around 10 p.m. (partial phase); The totality phase lasted from around 11 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. The partial phase of the lunar eclipse ended on April 7 at around 1:15 a.m. The scribe of the Babylonian cuneiform text noted the exact time of the lunar eclipse:

"[Artaxerxes II. 26th year]: 15th Addaru II (April 1st greg. ), Starting from the south, 37 UŠ (about 148 minutes) after sunset , after 15 UŠ (about 60 minutes) beginning of the total (lunar eclipse) , 45 UŠ (?) (About 180 minutes) duration of the eclipse phase, 14 finger widths in front of (the constellation ) Virgo . "

- BM 45640

See also

literature

Web links

Remarks

  1. ^ Date in the proleptic Julian calendar .
  2. ^ The 1st Addaru II fell on March 23, 378 BC. Chr .; the 1st Nisannu on the 21./22. April 378 BC Chr.
  3. Sunset around 6:30 p.m. local time.
  4. This means the partial phase that began after about 60 minutes.
  5. The total duration of the partial phase was about 180 minutes; the total lunar eclipse was in the middle of the partial phase and lasted about 75 minutes.
  6. ^ Francis Richard Stephenson: Historical Eclipses and Earth's rotation . P. 175.