Earliest Datable Records of Aurora-like Phenomena in the Astronomical Diaries from Babylonia

Abstract

The Astronomical Diaries from Babylonia (ADB) are an excellent source of information of natural phenomena, including astronomical ones, in pre-Christ era because it contains the record of highly continuous and systematic observations. In this article we present results of a survey of aurora-like phenomena in ADB, spanning from BCE 652 to BCE 61. We have found 9 records of aurora-like phenomena. Philological and scientific examinations suggest 5 of them can be considered as likely candidate for aurora observations. They provide unique information about the solar and aurora activities in the first millennium BCE.

2016/11/16 Accepted publication in Earth, Planets and Space

References in corpus (5)

• Records of sunspot and aurora during CE 960-1279 in the Chinese chronicle of the Song dynasty
• East Asian Observations of Low Latitude Aurora during the Carrington Magnetic Storm
• The earliest drawings of datable auroras and a two-tail comet from the Syriac Chronicle of Zūqnīn
• Historical Auroras in the 990s: Evidence for Great Magnetic Storms
• Aurora Candidates from the Chronicle of Qīng Dynasty in Several Degrees of Relevance

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Long-Lasting Extreme Magnetic Storm Activities in 1770 Found in Historical Documents
• Historical Auroras in the 990s: Evidence for Great Magnetic Storms
• Occurrence of Great Magnetic Storms on 6-8 March 1582
• Records of sunspot and aurora activity during 581-959 CE in Chinese official histories in the periods of Suí, Táng, and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
• The Celestial Sign in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 770s: Insights on Contemporary Solar Activity