Astronomers have discovered the oldest known reference to a solar eclipse in an ancient Hindu text dating back 6,000 years.
According to RCO News Agency, When astronomers examined an ancient Hindu text known as the Rig Veda, they found that it refers to a total solar eclipse that occurred approximately 6,000 years ago, making it the oldest known example of an eclipse. .
The Rig Veda is a collection of sayings and hymns of various religious and philosophical schools, compiled around 1500 BC, and like almost all religious texts, mentions some historical events, most of which are contemporary with the time they were written. . For example, in various parts of “Rig Veda” the place of sunrise in spring equinox is mentioned.
These descriptions allow astronomers to date those sources because the Earth spins on its axis like a spinning top, changing the relative positions of important astronomical events.
Currently, the vernal equinox is in the constellation of Pisces. The vernal equinox was in the constellation of Orion around 4500 BC or in the constellation Parvin in the constellation Taurus around 2230 BC, which means that the Rig Veda records some events well.
The language of the Rigveda is highly symbolic and allegorical, and it is difficult to tell which stories are legends and which are historical, but two astronomers, Mayank Vahia of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai and Mitsuru Soma of the Observatory The National Astronomers of Japan think they have found the account of an ancient eclipse in this writing.
They reported their findings in the journal Astronomical History and Heritage.
In this book’s account of the eclipse, the sun is described as “pierced” with darkness, and evil beings are said to have caused the magical arts of the sun to disappear.
The following sections helped astronomers determine the time frame for this eclipse. According to their findings, this happened when the vernal equinox was in the constellation Orion and it happened only three days before the autumnal equinox.
Researchers also say the eclipse was a total solar eclipse and happened in the region where the final writers of the Rig Veda lived.
Astronomers found that only two possible dates met these criteria. One on October 22, 4202 BC and the other on October 19, 3811 BC.
Both of these dates are earlier than the current record holders for the earliest reference to an eclipse, which was found in a clay tablet discovered in Syria that records an eclipse in 1375 BC, or a rock carving in Ireland that refers to an eclipse in The year 3340 BC has been mentioned.
This new discovery of the Rig Veda shows how a total solar eclipse fascinated people in ancient times and how ancient texts can inform our modern knowledge of celestial events.
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