Halley"s calculations enabled the comet"s earlier appearances to be found in the historical record. The comet may have been recorded in China as early as 467 BC, but this is uncertain. The first certain observation dates from 240 BC, and subsequent appearances were recorded by Chinese, Babylonian, Persian, and other Mesopotamian texts. The following list gives the dates of Halley"s apparitions since its first recorded appearance in 240 BC. The first certain appearance of Halley"s Comet in the historical record is a description from 240 BC, recorded in the Chinese chronicle Records of the Grand Historian or Shiji, which describes a comet that appeared in the east and moved north. The only surviving record of the 164 BC apparition is found on two fragmentary Babylonian tablets, now owned by the British Museum. The apparition of 87 BC was recorded in Babylonian tablets which state that the comet was seen "day beyond day" for a month. This appearance may be recalled in the representation of Tigranes the Great, an Armenian king who is depicted on coins with a crown that features, according to V.G. Gurzadyan and R. Vardanyan, "a star with a curved tail [that] may represent the passage of Halley"s Comet in 87 BC." Gurzadyan and Vardanyan argue that "Tigranes could have seen Halley"s Comet when it passed closest to the Sun on Aug. 6 in 87 BC" as the comet would have been a "most recordable event"; for ancient Armenians it could have heralded the New Era of the brilliant King of Kings. The apparition of 12 BC was recorded in the Book of Han by Chinese astronomers of the Han Dynasty who tracked it from August through October. It passed within 0.16AU of the Earth. Halley"s return in 12 BC, only a few years distant from the date of the birth of Jesus Christ, has led some theologians and astronomers to suggest that it might explain the Biblical story of the Star of Bethlehem. However, there are other explanations for the phenomenon, such as planetary conjunctions, and there are also records of other comets that appeared closer to the date of Jesus" birth. The 141 AD apparition was recorded in Chinese chronicles. The 374 AD approach came within 0.09AU of the Earth, while the 607 approach came within 0.09AU of the Earth. The 684 AD apparition was recorded in Europe in one of the sources used by the compiler of the 1493 Nuremberg Chronicles. Chinese records also report it as the "broom star". In 684, the comet was seen in Shilla and thought to be an omen: that year Revolution of Korean in the Bodeokkuk(報德國); it was a bad omen for Shilla King Shinmun(神文王). This appearance of the comet is also noted in the Chinese Chronicle(舊唐書).
Halley"s calculations enabled the comet"s earlier appearances to be found in the historical record. The comet may have been recorded in China as early as 467 BC, but this is uncertain. The first certain observation dates from 240 BC, and subsequent appearances were recorded by Chinese, Babylonian, Persian, and other Mesopotamian texts. The following list gives the dates of Halley"s apparitions since its first recorded appearance in 240 BC. The first certain appearance of Halley"s Comet in the historical record is a description from 240 BC, recorded in the Chinese chronicle Records of the Grand Historian or Shiji, which describes a comet that appeared in the east and moved north. The only surviving record of the 164 BC apparition is found on two fragmentary Babylonian tablets, now owned by the British Museum. The apparition of 87 BC was recorded in Babylonian tablets which state that the comet was seen "day beyond day" for a month. This appearance may be recalled in the representation of Tigranes the Great, an Armenian king who is depicted on coins with a crown that features, according to V.G. Gurzadyan and R. Vardanyan, "a star with a curved tail [that] may represent the passage of Halley"s Comet in 87 BC." Gurzadyan and Vardanyan argue that "Tigranes could have seen Halley"s Comet when it passed closest to the Sun on Aug. 6 in 87 BC" as the comet would have been a "most recordable event"; for ancient Armenians it could have heralded the New Era of the brilliant King of Kings. The apparition of 12 BC was recorded in the Book of Han by Chinese astronomers of the Han Dynasty who tracked it from August through October. It passed within 0.16AU of the Earth. Halley"s return in 12 BC, only a few years distant from the date of the birth of Jesus Christ, has led some theologians and astronomers to suggest that it might explain the Biblical story of the Star of Bethlehem. However, there are other explanations for the phenomenon, such as planetary conjunctions, and there are also records of other comets that appeared closer to the date of Jesus" birth. The 141 AD apparition was recorded in Chinese chronicles. The 374 AD approach came within 0.09AU of the Earth, while the 607 approach came within 0.09AU of the Earth. The 684 AD apparition was recorded in Europe in one of the sources used by the compiler of the 1493 Nuremberg Chronicles. Chinese records also report it as the "broom star". In 684, the comet was seen in Shilla and thought to be an omen: that year Revolution of Korean in the Bodeokkuk(報德國); it was a bad omen for Shilla King Shinmun(神文王). This appearance of the comet is also noted in the Chinese Chronicle(舊唐書).
(0)
(0)