Astronomy timeline Date: 2,500 BCE-1,504

By John Porras
  • Stonehedge
    2500 BCE

    Stonehedge

    Allignments of the stones mark the rising and setting of the sun.
  • Temple of Amen-Ra
    2000 BCE

    Temple of Amen-Ra

    To mark the axis to the sunset, temple of Amen-Ra at Karnak was built.
  • Recording lunar and solar eclipses
    1300 BCE

    Recording lunar and solar eclipses

    Chinese astronomers recorded 900 solar and 600 lunar eclipses over a period of 2,600 years.
  • Practical stronomy
    700 BCE

    Practical stronomy

    Hesiod describes practical uses for astronomy using a poem "The works and days"
  • Earth is old
    500 BCE

    Earth is old

    Xenphones concludes the earth is very old.
  • Relative dimensions
    280 BCE

    Relative dimensions

    Aristarchus finds relative dimensions of solar system.
  • Circumference of Earth
    280 BCE

    Circumference of Earth

    Eratosthenes finds the circumference of earth in 280 BC
  • Bighorn
    1 BCE

    Bighorn

    Building of the bighorn medicine wheel.
  • Chinese record supernova
    Oct 3, 1054

    Chinese record supernova

    Chinese recorded Supernova that produced crab nebula. Visible in the daytime.
  • Hailey's cmet
    Oct 3, 1066

    Hailey's cmet

    Comet Hailey was considered an ill omen for King Harold, who was killed in the invasion of England
  • Universities
    Oct 3, 1200

    Universities

    Establishment of first universities in europe.
  • Columbus
    Oct 3, 1504

    Columbus

    Columbus uses lunar eclipse prediction to influence Arawaks