Ancient Mesopotamia is the earliest known source of modern astronomical research. Babylonian MUL.APIN texts provide data on stars’ locations and celestial descriptions dated to 1200 BCE. The group used their fingers and 360 units (comparable to modern 360 degrees) to chart the sky, distances, and celestial movement and occurrences. They used their star passages to be the first to create an astronomical ephemeris. The charting is the only depiction of their calculations as Babylonian astronomers did not create models.
Instructions on astronomical calculations can be found in the MUL.APIN texts. Babylonians measured speed over time to predict the motions of the planets. Their work succeeded for outer planets such as Saturn and Jupiter but did not work as well for Mars. Teije de Jong created visual depictions of their calculations on system A Mercury which can be found here. Recognizing the work of the Babylonian astronomers is important because their knowledge paved the way for Greek work which we often refer to as the origins of modern astronomy. We must recognize the dedication to astronomy that many ancient civilizations had which present students never learn.
A visual of the first Babylonian MUL.APIN text with celestial information. Two of these clay tablets paved the way for astronomy.
