Astronomers have begun one of the most far reaching efforts ever undertaken to study the universe. They are forging giant new lenses and mirrors while marshalling vast computational power. These new technologies are at the centre of a historic quest to peer into the deepest recesses of time, to find out how the universe set the stage for galaxies and worlds like ours in an era known as the cosmic dawn
Astronomy is termed as the scientific study of celestial bodies that include the stars, sun, moon, and other galactical objects. It also provides knowledge of the universal nature of the universe. It is also one of the most ancient sciences that was practiced earlier in Mesopotamia and India. Astronomers from the early civilizations conducted systematic observations on the sky during the night time hence making a different conclusion regarding different celestial objects. Astrology was a science build from different beliefs associated with religion, calendrical, mythological, and cosmological practices.
The most significant aspect of ancient astronomy was that astronomers had already gained knowledge through observation since they were able to differentiate planets from stars. The origin of the science can be traced back to ancient Greek where it was handled as a section of mathematics. In the history of astronomy Mesopotamia played a significant role in the development of astronomic knowledge, however also India made a vital contribution in setting a platform for the scientific field to be accepted as a scientific field by scientists. Additionally, various topics addressing how astronomical science from India and Mesopotamia relate or how they contradict one another. The topic has raised great debates among people who take the initiative to engage in the matter.
When focusing on ancient astronomy, Mesopotamia becomes the primary focus of the topic, while India is overlooked. Ancient astronomy in India comprised of linking their religious beliefs together with the spiritual perception of the world. India played a significant role, especially in the expansion of mathematics across the subcontinent, and this was one of its most significant achievements recorded in the history of astronomy. Furthermore, the work of ancient Indian astronomers greatly influenced Islamic, Hellenic, and the European thought of astronomy. To establish the difference between Indian astronomy and Mesopotamian ancient astronomy, a lot of issues and endless debates. The Mesopotamia ancient astronomy and the Indian astronomy were linked in the following ways. The Mesopotamian astronomy is said to have lent the ancient Indian astronomy with some precise items.
The items said to be assimilated into the Indian astronomy are the ratio: that belonged to the shortest and longest day to be used after 7 BC. In this particular argument that has been reviewed over the past years, the Mesopotamian astronomy is reported to have been using the wrong proportion of: until 700 BC to determine the length of the day. However, in India, before the 700BC has been reported to have used the right proportion to measure the length of the day, that is 3:2. The incapability of Mesopotamian astronomers to use the right proportion in measuring the length of the day points out that Indian astronomers at the time had already gained skillful observational knowledge. Hence the Mesopotamian astronomers are said to have borrowed from the Indian astronomers the expertise to measure the length of the day. Another specific item shared between the two ancient astronomic civilizations was the use of the water clock. In the Atharvaveda 19.53.3, an expression associated with the Indian astronomy illustrates the use of a water clock. The expression explains a vessel that is entirely being placed upon a time (Kala). The central focus of the mantra is to adjure that a filled container be positioned up in conjunction with the assessment of time. As a result, it is believed that the Indian astronomist employed the use of the water clock earlier the time of Babylonian astronomy. Another essential aspect applied in determining the difference or connection between the ancient Indian Astronomist and the Mesopotamian ancient astronomy is the application of the concept of tithi. Tithi was the term used in ancient Indian astronomy to imply on the duration when the angle of the sun and the moon rises by 12 degrees. The idea of Tithi was that a month bearing 29.5 days contained 27 moonrises. Splitting it to 30 segments signifies that a Tithi when compared to a day it becomes much smaller. The idea originated from India because it was associated with the Soma ritual. According to Vedic’s thought, 360 is a number that illustrates the uniformity observed between the subject and the time.
Similarly, in Ayurvda, 360 was a figure that signified the number of bones a foetus is insinuated to pertain during development. In all the above concepts, it is clear that the ancient Indian astronomist did not borrow from the Babylonians since they had already begun to apply the above concepts before 700 BC. It is also important to acknowledge that the Vedic astronomy from India was the first to monitor the movement of the moon and the sun. The observation implied that the sun and the moon moved against the naksatras backdrop (Safiai & Ibrahim, 2016). This further illustrates that the Indian astronomist had much knowledge of how to interpreted and observe the movement of celestial bodies. The Indian astronomic science also had identified how to employ a linear function to obtain the length of the day. They extrapolated a formula from the Rgjyotisa, which made it possible to perform such calculations. This was a great achievement since the Mesopotamian astronomic scientist was still using the wrong proportion that is 1:2. In contrast, the formula required astronomists to confine with the correct proportion that is 3:2.
The Mesopotamian astronomy is considered to be the most ancient on the basis that they managed to form a written language by the use of cuneiform scripts. Most profoundly, it is the primary purpose of why we know about astronomy. The linguistic innovation was one of human’s best achievement that can be traced back between 3000 BC to 3500 BC. Another critical aspect of Mesopotamian astronomy history is that they had employed the use of observation of the sky to determine the correct calendar. This was derived by the need to know the exact date necessary to plant their crops since they were an agriculture-based civilization. Furthermore, it is estimated that during the 7th and 8the centuries BC, Astronomers from Babylon established a systematic empirical way of handling astronomy (Schenk, 2017). The astronomers started recording and learning from their philosophies associated with the corresponding universal nature. They also recorded their systemic beliefs to employ a reasonable, logical solution to predict the apparent solar system. Babylonian astronomers are an exemption since they also were the first to realize astronomical sensations could be predicted through the application of mathematics. Furthermore, they also discovered that the phenomenal related to astronomy was periodic.
Apart from the connections and the concepts shared between the two astronomical civilizations, the following are the apparent differences that exist between Mesopotamian astronomy and the Indian astronomy. Commencing with the differences is that between the two, Mesopotamian astronomy is the most ancient and dates back to the 7th century. The other difference is that the Indian astronomists were strongly connected to their spiritual and religious beliefs, which played a vital role in how they made assertions concerning astronomy. While the Mesopotamian astronomists recorded their philosophies and studied the systemic ideas that facilitated them to understand the sense and how to predict the patterns associated with astronomy (Steele, 2015), another noticeable difference was that before the 700 BC, the Indian astronomers were well conversant with how to measure the length of the day while the Babylonian ones showed no traces that they had to embark on the use of the right proportion before the 700 BC.
The Indian astronomers were already aware of how to use the Water clock, whereas the use of the water clock by the Babylonians is seen to be after 700 BC. They also were mindful of the concept of a five-year yuga and the idea of tithi before the 700 BC, whereas it is not stated that the Babylonians had already discovered the two approaches before the 700 BC. The Babylonians were also the inventors of the application of mathematical theory to help the prediction of different astrological occurrences while the Indian astronomers had not yet made the discovery. Astronomist from Babylon was the sole founder of the linguistic invention that facilitated the accumulation of knowledge that all astronomists used. While the Indian astronomist borrowed from the correspondent astronomist. The Mesopotamian astronauts employed different ways to pass information in their civilizations; that is, they transferred important information through singing, through writing on Sumerian tablets and most importantly through cuneiforms that were inscribed (Steele, 2016). This form of conveying information was much appropriate since it allowed for the recording of more significant numbers and small ones hence simplifying calculations. In contrast, the Indian astronomist transferred information through the making of astrological charts, reading of omens, and the establishment of theories and also through formulating knowledgeable mathematics representations. A lot of this information from Indian astronomers was transmitted into Islamic Europe and the Islamic world. Another difference between Mesopotamian astronomic science with that of Indian astronomic science is that Indian astronomists back in history influenced the introduction of celestial navigation, which was a crucial aspect in the transformation of nautical charts (Pimenta, 2015).
The two galactic civilizations also possess the following similar function; they both relayed on the use of mathematics concepts to find solutions to different astronomical questions. For instance, the Indian astronomists used mathematics to calculate and find the length of the day. Similarly, the Mesopotamian astronomist used mathematical calculations to determine different planting periods since they were an agriculture-based civilization (Abraham & R, 2017). The other critical feature shared among the two is that they both made a significant contribution to the Hellenic cycle. Where both astronomic histories share that each civilization played a vital part in the development of the Hellenic period. Most profoundly is that both the Mesopotamian astronomist and Indian ones had made divisions on the year based on seasons and religion. This is because the Indian astronomists had split the year into different seasons. This is to say that they had a calendar that comprised of different seasons the Vasanta represented spring, Sharad a season that represented autumn, Hemanta represented the winter season, Shishir reflected the dews while Grisham and Varsha represented summer and the rains respectively.
Similarly, the Mesopotamians had their calendar that was in accordance with the agricultural schedule. It provided an understanding of the planting and harvesting seasons. The last obvious situation that is similar to the Mesopotamian and Indian astronomy was that both had borrowed essential ideas from other astronomists. For instance, we come to acknowledge that the Babylonians borrowed from the Indian astronomist the idea of using the water clock concept (Nadali & Polcaro, 2016). This is evident because later after the 700 BC reports are that the Mesopotamian astronomist began utilizing the water clock system to measure time.
India has a very old tradition in astronomy with written narratives going back to about 3000 years. India is another centre of ancient knowledge. The earliest astronomical practices in India date back to 1500 BC around 600 BC before the golden age of Greek philosophy. Astronomical texts can be found with motions of the planets and eclipse tables. Perhaps, the greatest contribution of Indian scientists and mathematicians was the invention of zero which is the basis of the decimal counting system. Unfortunately a series of inventions of the Indian subcontinent in the 12th century destroyed much of the evidence of the golden age of Indian science.
After a close analysis of the two astronomical science from Mesopotamia and India, it is clear that discussions and conclusions concerning the two are influenced by religious theories, race, and empires instead of scholarships. It is also important to acknowledge the fact that the two astronomical sciences from both civilizations have greatly influenced the spread of astronomic knowledge. That is broad knowledge concerning the history of astronomical science. The two have also facilitated current astronomers with the necessary experience that they can effectively use to expand their knowledge. Hence, they can be able to explain different astronomical occurrences.
References
Abraham, R. H. (2017). Mysticism in the history of mathematics. Progress in biophysics and molecular biology, 131, 261-272.
Nadali, D., & Polcaro, A. The sky from the high terrace: Study on the orientation of the ziqqurat in ancient Mesopotamia. MAA. 2016; 16/4: 103-108.
Pimenta, F. (2015). Astronomy and navigation. Handbook of Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy, 43-65.
Safiai, M. H., & Ibrahim, I. A. (2016). Tracing the History of Astrolabe Inventions Across Civilisations. In Islamic Perspectives on Science and Technology (pp. 373-382). Springer, Singapore.
Schenk, G. J. (2017). Historical disaster experiences: First steps toward a comparative and transcultural History of disasters across Asia and Europe in the Preindustrial Era. In Historical Disaster Experiences (pp. 3-44). Springer, Cham.
Steele, J. M. (2015). Mesopotamian calendars. Handbook of Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy, 1841-1845.
Steele, J. M. (2016). The Circulation of Astronomical Knowledge in the Ancient World. Brill.