2010/01/14 by B. G. Sidharth, Sidharth, Burra G.
Arts and Humanities · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #General Physics (physics.gen-ph) #Historical Astronomy and Related Studies #Historical and Architectural Studies #History and Developments in Astronomy
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1001.2393
openalex publication_date 2010/01/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Astronomical observations were used as a marker for time and the Calendar from ancient times. A more subtle calibration of epochs is thrown up by an observation of the position of the solstices and equinoxes, because these points shift in the sky with the years resulting in the gradual shift of celestial longitudes λ. Chronology based on such observations however needs to be backed up by hard evidence. We match both to take us back to 10,000 B.C., the epi-paleolithic period, and the beginning of civilization itself.