BM 33066 - Cambyses' 7th year astronomy clay tablet - An Initial Review for proper time placement

Statement of belief: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17 KJV)

Created 5927_[(*??*)]01 29 2031 [2015-05-19]

Initial editing through 5927_[(*??*)]02 04 2031 [2015-05-23]

Analysing BM 33066

Cambyses’ Clay Tablet

Re the 7^th Year of His Reign

Initial Review for Proper Placement in Time

Abstract:

I found the image and its English translation at Biblical Archaeology. The partial German translation by Kugler is available at this link.

All footnotes and links are my own and represents my attempts to verify for myself the validity of the placement in time of these astronomical observations.

In this Initial Review of mine, I first scanned Espenak’s Lunar Phases Tables (formerly NASA’s) for possible lunar eclipses during the years 540-500 BCE fitting lines 19-22 on the reverse side of BM 33066. Following that, I traced Jupiter’s path through the same time period. Initially, I found only two possible eclipse pairs. As it turned out, Jupiter’s path through Virgo fell within the same two time periods as said eclipse pairs: 1) 524-521 BCE and, 2) 512-509 BCE. Upon closer examination, it soon became clear that, re the 512-509 BCE scenario, the Jupiter events as dated on BM 33066 were incompatible with the available lunar eclipses, thus leaving the 524-521 BCE scenario as the only viable option.

In particular, this preliminary study made it quite clear that BM 33066… (cf. the bold italicized text within the available footnotes:)

1. “Based upon the face and format of this astronomical record, it is clear… that the originator of the record was using the Babylonian calendar… beginning each year… month number one.”

2. The beginning of each month is based upon the observable New Moon only.

3. Re the Jupiter events:

The term ‘Virgo’ is a reference to Gamma Virgo, Porrima (i.e. not a reference to either the constellation Virgo, nor to Alpha Virgo, Spica.)

“The 22^nd day of Moon 5 began at sunset August 22, 523 BCE, which is the very day when Jupiter passed Gamma Virgo!

“The 22^nd day of Moon 6 began at sunset September 21+, 523 BCE, which is when Jupiter and Porrima became visible together on the morning horizon.

“Notice: These two observations, taken together, makes lines 1-2 [reverse] a statement re the visibility – and evidence of an actual firsthand observation - of the setting star Porrima over the western horizon. Cf. Jupiter’s visibility over the eastern horizon!”

4. The lunar eclipses of lines 19-22 reverse are identifiable as follows: “Within the 7^th year beginning in the spring of 523 BCE… we… find two lunar eclipses…, both of them visible from the Baghdad horizon: A partial (53.15%) eclipse on July 17, 523 BCE and a total eclipse on January 10, 522 BCE” (cf. footnote #1.)

5. “The New Moon of Abib [month number 1 of] year 7 began at sunset on April (5 or) 6, 523 BCE… illum.: 0.81%.”

6. “After reviewing the available Jupiter events and the available lunar eclipses, we may narrow our considerations of the Venus events…

“Day 10 of Moon 3 of year 7 began at sunset June 12, 523 BCE. Seems we have a problem here: Venus is in front of Cancer, not [immediately in front of] Leo! However, seeing that the first star visible with Venus on the evening sky was Regulus, alpha Leo, this… makes much sense!

“Day 27 of Moon 3 of year 7 began at sunset June 29, 523 BCE. Seems that here too we may have a problem?! Venus is in the area of Gemini, NOT in Cancer. However, the Sun is in Cancer. Perhaps this is an error in translation?... the correct answer is found in recognizing that the Sun too is a star and that the Sun was, at that time, in Cancer! Indeed, as represented by my astronomy software, SNB, Venus was visible even before sunset!...

“Indeed, to me, both of these Venus notations seems powerful evidence of the astronomer’s actual first hand observation of these events, that is, as opposed to theoretical calculations as some are suggesting.”

Obverse

1 Year 7 of Kambyses. (the 1st of which was identical with)

the 30th (of the preceding month, sunset to moonset:) 23º.

2 Month 1º. the 1st the moon became visible:

3 1 bēru sunset to moonset.

4 Night of the 13th: moonrise to sunset: at 9º.

5 The 13th. moonset to sunrise: 2º 20’.

6 Night of the 14th: sunset to moonrise: 8º 20’.

7 The 14th, sunrise to moonset: 7º 40’.

8 The 27th: (moonrise to sunrise:) at 16º.

9 Month II, (the 1st of which was identical with) the :30th

(of the Preceding month: sunset to moonset:) 23º.

10 The 13th. moonset to sunrise: 8º 20’.

11 Night of the 14th. moonrise to sunset: 1º.

12 The 14th. sunrise to moonset: 1º 40’.

13 Night of the 15th, sunset to moonrise: 14º 30’.

14 The 27th, (moonrise to sunrise:) 21º.

15 Month 3º, (the 1st of which was identical with) the 30th

(of the preceding month, sunset to moonset:) 18º 30’.

16 Night of the 14th. moonrise to sunset: 9º 30’.

17 The 14th, moonset to sunrise: 4º.

18 Night of the 15th, sunset to moonrise: 5º.

19 The 15th, sunrise to moonset: 8º 30’.

20 The 27th, (moonrise to sunrise:) 15º.

21 Month 4º, the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the

preceding month, sunset to moonset:) 27º.

22 The 13th, moonset to sunrise: 11º.

23 Night of the 14th. moonrise to sunset: 4º.

24 The 14th. sunrise to moonset: 4º.

25 Night of the 15th. sunset to moonrise: 8º 30’.

26 The 27th, (moonrise to sunrise:) 15º.

1 Month 5º, (the 1st of which was identical with} the 30th

(of the preceding month, sunset to moonset:) 10+[x]º.

2 The 14th, [moonset to sunrise:] 3º 30’.

3 Night of the 13th, [moonrise to sunset:] 2º 20+[x]’.

4 The 15th, sunrise to moonset: 1 Io.

5 Night of the 16th. sunset [to moonrise:) 7º 30’.

6 The 27th, (moonrise to sunrise:) 22º 30’.

7 Month 6º, the 1st {of which followed the 30th of the

preceding month, sunset to moonset:) 15º 40’.

8 The 13th, moonset to sunrise: 11º.

9 The 14th, sunrise to moonset: 4º.

10 Night of the 15th. moonrise to sunset: 1º 20’.

11 Night of the 16th. sunset to moonrise: 8º 40’.

12 The 28th, (moonrise to sunrise:) 15º.

13 Month 7º, the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the

preceding month, sunset to moonset:) 16º 40’.

14 The 13th, moonset to sunrise: 6º 30’.

15 Night of the 14th. moonrise to sunset: 7º 30’.

16 The 14th, sunrise to moonset: 12º.

17 Night of the 15th. sunset to moonrise: 3º.

18 The 26th, (moonrise to sunrise:) 22º.

19 Month 8º, (the 1st of which was identical with) the 30th

(of the preceding month. sunset to moonset:) 12º 40’.

20 The 13th, moonset to sunrise: 15º.

21 The 14th, sunrise to moonset: 5º.

22 Night of the 15th. moonrise to sunset: 1º.

23 Night of the 16th. sunset to moonrise: 14º.

24 The 26th, (moonrise to sunrise:) 26º.

(the following paragraph extends over cols. 2º and 3º)

25 Month 12º the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the

preceding month, sunset to moonset:)19º.

Night of the 13th, moonrise to sunset: [x]+1º 30’.

26 The 13th, moonset to sunrise: 5º 20’. Night of the 14th.

sunset to moonrise: 3º.

27 The 14th, sunrise to moonset: 5º 40’. The 27th,

(moonrise to sunrise:) 21º.

III

1 The 1[3th, moonset to sunrise: ....]

2 Night of the l|4th. moonrise to sunset: ....]

3 The 14th, [sunrise to moonset:] 5º.

4 Night of the 15th, [sunset to moonrise:] 10º 20’.

5 The 27th, (moonrise to sunrise:) 24º.

6 Month 11º, the 1st (of which followed the 30th of the

preceding month, sunset to moonset:) 22º.

7 Night of the 13th, moonrise to sunset: 17º 20’.

8 The 13th, moonset to sunrise: 4º 40’.

9 Night of the 14th, sunset to moonrise: 1o 40’.

10 The 14th, sunrise to moonset: 7º.

11 The 27th, (moonrise to sunrise:) 17º.

12 Month 12º, (the 1st of which wras identical with) the 30th

(of the preceding month. sunset to moonset:) 15º 30’.

13 The 12th, moonset to sunrise: 10º 30’.

14 Night of the 13th, moonrise to sunset: 5º 20’.

15 The 13th, there was no "moonset to sunrise"

or "sunrise to moonset".

16 Night of the 14th, sunset to moonrise: 10º.

17 The 25thsle, (moonrise to sunrise:) 23º: the 27th,

(moonrise to sunrise:) 12º.

Right edge

1’ [....]....

2’ [(Mercury’s) ....] first appearance ....

3’ [....] last appearance in the east in the

4’ [rear’] foot of Leo.

5’ [.... first appearance] in the west in ….

(break)

1’’ [....]....[....]

2’’ [....]....[....]

3’’ Month XII, the 19th, last appearance in the west.

4’’ in the Ribbon of the Fishes.

Reverse

1 Year 7, month 5º, the 22nd,

Jupiter’s last appearance in front of Virgo.[1]

2 Month 6º, the 22nd,

first appearance behind Virgo.

Month 10º, the 27th,

it became stationary in front of Libra.[2]

Month 12º was intercalary.[3]

3 Year 8, month 2º, the 25th,

it became stationary in the area of Virgo.[4]

Month 6º, the 4th,

last appearance behind[5] Libra.[6]

4 Year 7, month 3º, the 10th.[7]

Venus last appearance in the west in the beginning of Leo.

Month 3º, the 27th,

5 first appearance in the east in the area of Cancer.

Month 12º, the 7th,

last appearance in the east in the area of Pisces.

Month XII was intercalary.

6 Year 8, month 1º, the 13th,

first appearance in the west in the area of the Chariot.

7 Year 7, month 6º, the 3rd.

Saturn’s last appearance in the area of Virgo.

Month 7º, the 13th,

first appearance behind Virgo.

Month 12º was intercalary.

8 Year 8, month 5º, the 29th, last appearance.

9 Year 7, month 2º, the 28th,

Mars last appearance in front of Gemini.

10 Month 6º, the 13th, first appearance in the foot of Leo.

Month 12º was intercalary.

Year 8, month 5º, the 12th, it became stationary.

11 Year 9, month 2º, the 9th, last appearance behind α Leonis.

12 Year 7, month 7º, the 1st,

the moon became visible 3 cubits behind Mercury.

Month 6º, the 24th, Venus was 1+[x cubits’ | above Mars.

13 Month 7º, the 23rd, last part of the night.

Jupiter was 3 cubits above the moon.

14 Month 7º, the 29th, last part of the night,

Venus on the north side [came near] 2 fingers to Jupiter.

15 Month 7º, the 12th, Saturn was 1 cubit in front of Jupiter.

16 Month 7º, the 11th, Mars came near to Jupiter 2 fingers.

17 Month 8º, the 2nd, Saturn passed 8 fingers above Venus.

18 Month 10º, the 5th, Mercury was ½ cubit behind Venus.

19 Year 7, month 4º, night of the 14th, 1 ⅔ bēru after sunset[8].

20 the moon made a total eclipse,

a little remained: the north wind blew.[9]

21 Month 10º, night of the 14th,

when 2 ½ bēru remained to sunrise [10].

22 the moon made a total[11] eclipse: the south and north winds blew[12] in it.

Comments and donations freely accepted at:

Tree of Life^©

c/o General Delivery

Nora [near SE-713 01]

eMail: TreeOfLifeTime@gmail.com

Comments and donations freely accepted at:

Tree of Life^©

c/o General Delivery

Nora [near SE-713 01]

eMail: TreeOfLifeTime@gmail.com

The GateWays of Entry into the Tree of Life Time Chronology Touching upon the Book of Daniel

[1] The conventional 522 BCE scenario – which does not(?) fit this astronomical record:

Based upon the face and format of this astronomical record, it is clear 1) that the originator of the record was using the Babylonian calendar, and beginning each year with Abib, month number one, and that 2) the two lunar eclipses of lines 19-22 occurred in the same 7^th year as did the events pertaining to Jupiter per lines 1-3.

Apparently the conventional dating of this record is based upon little more than an assumption that the lunar eclipses of year 7 and of lines 19-22 are identifiable with the July 5 and December 30, 522 BCE lunar eclipses.

Unfortunately for said conventional dating of this record, the closest Jupiter events reminiscent of the events recorded per lines 1-3 in this record occurred one year earlier, that is, between September 20, 523 BCE and May 5, 522 BCE while being dated within the 7^th and 8^th year. For these events to fit this record, the events pertaining to Jupiter should have taken place one year later, or else they should have been recorded as having been occurring in the 6^th and 7^th year. Alternatively, there should be found two lunar eclipses within the 7^th year beginning in the spring of 523 BCE. And, yes, we do indeed find two lunar eclipses within that year, both of them visible from the Baghdad horizon: A partial (53.15%) eclipse on July 17, 523 BCE and a total eclipse on January 10, 522 BCE.

Accordingly, per the eclipse record of lines 19-22, Moon 4 of year 7 must include July 17, 523 BCE, and Moon 10 of year 7 must include January 10, 522 BCE. Using Espenak’s (formerly NASA’s) lunar phase tables, I find that the New Moon of Abib year 7 began at sunset on April (5 or) 6, 523 BCE [using SNB set on the Baghdad horizon:] Sunset: 18:19:59; moonset: 19:06:23; lag: 46 min 24 sec; illum.: 0.81%.

Also, per the Jupiter record of lines 1-3, the 22^nd day of Moon 5 must precede Jupiter’s passing of Spica, alpha Virgo, on October 14, 523, while the 22^nd day of Moon 6 must fall subsequent to said date. Accordingly, (cf. Espenak’s tables) Moon 5 year 7 began with the New Moon August 30+, 523 BCE, and Moon 6 year seven began with the New Moon September 29+, 523 BCE. Unfortunately, such a placement does not harmonize with the above said lunar eclipses! It follows that either this placement of BM 33066 about 523 BCE is wrong, or else our choice of Spica, alpha Virgo, might be in error. Alternatively, the most likely contender is Gamma Virgo, Porrima, which Jupiter passed on August 22, 523 BCE. Accordingly, per the Jupiter record of lines 1-3, the 22^nd day of Moon 5 must precede Jupiter’s passing of Porrima, Gamma Virgo, on August 22, 523 BCE, while the 22^nd day of Moon 6 must fall subsequent to said date. Accordingly, (cf. Espenak’s tables) Moon 5 year 7 began with the New Moon August 1+, 523 BCE [August 1 sunset: 19:04:39; moonset: 19:56:06; lag: 51 min 27 sec; illum.: 3.30%,] and Moon 6 year seven began with the New Moon August 31+, 523 BCE [August 30 sunset: 18:38:13; moonset: 18:56:39; lag: 18 min 26 sec; illum.: 1.66%.]

Thus:

The 22^nd day of Moon 5 began at sunset August 22, 523 BCE, which is the very day when Jupiter passed Gamma Virgo!

The 22^nd day of Moon 6 began at sunset September 21+, 523 BCE, which is when Jupiter and Porrima became visible together on the morning horizon.

Notice: These two observations, taken together, makes lines 1-2 a statement re the visibility – and an actual firsthand observation - of the setting star Porrima over the western horizon. Cf. Jupiter’s visibility over the eastern horizon!

Alternatively, looking upon subsequent series of Jupiter events (which events recur every 12 years) we find that on September 2, 512 BCE Jupiter entered the constellation of Virgo, and on December 13, 510 BCE Jupiter exited Libra while entering Scorpio. More specifically lines 1-3 of this astronomical clay tablet may be understood in terms of describing the Jupiter events between September 511 BCE and October 510 BCE. Accordingly, the 7^th and 8^th years must be placed from the spring of 511 BCE until the spring of 509 BCE, and, for this placement in time to fit, there must be two lunar eclipses between the springs of 511 BCE and 510 BCE, that is, within the 7^th year of this record. But the closest pair of lunar eclipses, visible from Babylonia, that are possibly fitting this record occurred on June 14 and December 9, 512 BCE. Considering also the lunar eclipses that were not visible from the Baghdad horizon, we find two lunar eclipses also within the required year, that is, within the 7^th year beginning in the spring of 511 BCE: A total lunar eclipse on June 4, 511 BCE, and a partial (58.54%) lunar eclipse on Nov 29, 511 BCE.

Per Starry Night Backyard Constellation Boundaries, Jupiter left Leo for Virgo on Sept 18, 524 BCE. Jupiter then became stationary while reversing across the breast of Virgo on December 18, 524 BCE, and then again on April 23, 523 BCE reverting to forward motion. Next stationary position occurred - after its last and only passage of Spica, alpha Virgo, on October 14, 523 BCE - across the lower left tibia of Virgo on January 20, 522 BCE, and following that on May 25, 522 BCE. On September 22, 522 BCE Jupiter exited the Starry Night Backyard boundary of Virgo for Libra, passing alpha Libra, Zubenelgenubi, on October 7, 522 BCE. On January 5, 521 BCE it exited Libra for Scorpio, while passing the Sun on October 10, 522 BCE, before which time it was visible on the evening sky and after which time it rose higher and higher on the morning skies as it trailed ever further behind Libra.

Specifically re lines 1 and 2: ‘Virgo,’ as used in line 1 and 2, could represent either the constellation, or else the lead star, alpha Virgo, Spica. Given that only one month time is provided between lines 1 and 2, I am forced to conclude that Virgo, as used in lines 1 and 2, must apply to Spica, alpha Virgo and not to the constellation as a whole. It follows that the 22^nd day of the 5^th Moon of line 1 must be placed before Jupiter’s passing Spica, and that the 22^nd day of the 6^th Moon of line 2 must be placed after Jupiter’s passing Spica.

The conventional 524-522 BCE scenario: Given, per my Starry Night Backyard software, that Jupiter passed Spica only once within 524-521 BCE, that is, on October 14, 523 BCE, I have no choice but to identify Moon 1 as beginning May 5, 523 BCE, Moon 5 as beginning August 30+ [Aug 30, 523 BCE sunset: 18:38:13; moonset: 18:56:32; lag: 28 min 19 sec; illum.: 1.66%;] Moon 6 as beginning on September 29+ [Sept 29, 523 BCE sunset: 17:59:51; moonset: 18:25:44; lag: 25 min 53 sec; illum.: 2.96%;] and Moon 10 as beginning on January 26+, 522 BCE [Jan 26, 522 BCE sunset: 17:27:55; moonset: 18:52:35; lag: 84 min 40 sec; illum.: 2.25%.]

Thus:

Abib 1 was reckoned as beginning on May 5+, 523 BCE; i.e. per the conventional dating of this record!

The 22^nd day of the 5^th Moon began on September 20+, 523 BCE;

The 22^nd day of the 6^th Moon began on October 20+, 523 BCE;

The 27^th day of the 10^th Moon began on February 21+, 522 BCE. Notice: This is a no fit option, that is since 1) the real event took place on January 20± at a location 1° 35’ distant, and 2) the real event took place within the boundaries of the Virgo constellation, outside the constellation of Libra!

The closest and only alternative – which does(?) fit this astronomical record: The next time following the above 524-522 BCE Virgo and Libra passage of Jupiter, began when, on September 2, 512 BCE, Jupiter again exited Leo for Virgo, after which it again became stationary in the region of Virgo’s left elbow on December 24, 512 BCE, again reversing its path on April 25, 211 BCE. Following that event, Jupiter passed Spica, alpha Virgo, on September 28, 511 BCE, after which it reversed its path on January 26, 510 BCE (shortly after passing the boundary of Libra on December 23, 511 BCE) before stopping and reversing on May 29, 510 BCE, reentering Libra on August 16, 510 BCE, and, after passing alpha Libra on September 22, 510 BCE, exiting the constellation Libra for Scorpio on December 13, 510 BCE.

The alternative 512-510 BCE scenario: Given, per my Starry Night Backyard software, that Jupiter passed Spica only once within 512-510 BCE, that is, on September 28, 511 BCE, I have no choice but to identify Moon 1 as beginning April 21, 511 BCE, Moon 5 as beginning August 18+ [Aug 18, 511 BCE sunset: 18:50:57; moonset: 19:39:02; lag: 48 min 05 sec; illum.: 1.04%;] Moon 6 as beginning on September 17+ [Sept 17, 511 BCE sunset: 18:15:36; moonset: 19:17:25; lag: 61 min 49 sec; illum.: 2.88%;] and Moon 10 as beginning on January 13+, 510 BCE [Jan 13, 510 BCE sunset: 17:16:38; moonset: 18:41:57; lag: 86 min 19 sec; illum.: 3.21%.]

Thus:

Abib 1 was reckoned as beginning on April 21+, 511 BCE; i.e. per the one perfect fit dating of this record!

The 22^nd day of the 5^th Moon began on September 8+, 511 BCE;

The 22^nd day of the 6^th Moon began on October 8+, 511 BCE;

The 27^th day of the 10^th Moon began on February 8+, 511 BCE. Notice: Jupiter moved no more than 0° 20’ between Jan 26 and Feb 8. This is a good fit!

Alternatively:

Jupiter passed Porrima on August 7, 511 BCE.

Thus:

Abib 1 was reckoned as beginning on February 22+, 511 BCE; This is not a likely aviv date!

The 22^nd day of the 5^th Moon began on July 11+, 511 BCE;

The 22^nd day of the 6^th Moon began on August 10+, 511 BCE;

The 27^th day of the 10^th Moon began on December 11+, 511 BCE. Notice: Jupiter moved almost 3° between Dec 11 and Jan 25. This is not a good fit!

It follows that for this Jupiter scenario to fit, Spica must have been the Virgo reference star, not Porrima!

[2] Cf. footnote 1!

[3] Notice that our placement of this event forces a definition of the meaning of the original words behind this sentence! That is, whether or not an intercalary Moon was inserted at this time! At any rate, all considerable dates requires a 12 Moon year at this point, that is, with no intercalary Moon! Cf. footnote 4!

[4] The conventional 524-522 BCE scenario: The event of May 25, 522 BCE (cf. footnote 1.) Month 2 of year 8 began on either May 24+, or else on June 22+ (if a 13^th Moon is intercalated.) The 25^th day of Moon 2 fell on June 17+, or else on July 16+. June 17+ is perhaps? close enough to May 25, 522 BCE (Jupiter moved 0° 51’,) but not July 16+!

The alternative 512-510 BCE scenario: The event of May 29, 510 BCE (cf. footnote 1.) Month 2 of year 8 began on either May 11+, or else on June 10+ (if a 13^th Moon is intercalated.) The 29^th day of Moon 2 fell on June 8+, or else on July 8+. June 8+ is close enough to May 29, 510 BCE (Jupiter moved 0° 15’,) but not July 8+ (Jupiter moved 2° 30’!)

Accordingly, the cuneiform behind this translation is most likely saying that the 12^th Moon of this year was the last Moon of this year, and that there was no 13^th Moon.

[5] Perhaps the error is found in the translation “behind Libra”, i.e. vs. “in front of Libra?”

[6] Given that Moon 2 is already defined, it follows that:

The conventional 524-522 BCE scenario: Moon 6, 522 BCE began on Sept 18+, 522 BCE. The 4^th day of the 6^th Moon began on Sept 21+, 522 BCE. But, the called for recorded event occurred after passing alpha Libra on October 7, 522 BCE.

The alternative 512-510 BCE scenario: Moon 6, 510 BCE began on Sept 7+, 510 BCE. The 4^th day of the 6^th Moon began on Sept 10+. But, the called for recorded event occurred after passing alpha Libra on September 22, 510 BCE.

It becomes obvious that alpha Libra is not the reference star being used in this record. Most likely then, the correct reference star must be beta Libra, Zubeneschamali. The corresponding corrected dates for Jupiter’s passing Libra are Nov 11, 522 BCE and Oct 27, 510 BCE. [But this suggestion only aggravates the problem!]

[7] The conventional 524-522 BCE scenario:

After reviewing the available Jupiter events and the available lunar eclipses, we may narrow our considerations of the Venus events accordingly, that is, the 7^th year of BM 33066 beginning in the spring of 523 BCE. And, more precisely, the 3^rd Moon of year 7 began with the New Moon June 3, 523 BCE [June 3, 523 BCE sunset: 18:58:43; moonset: 20:19:51; lag: 81 min 8 sec; illum.: 2.01%.]

Thus, Day 10 of Moon 3 of year 7 began at sunset June 12, 523 BCE. Seems we have a problem here: Venus is in front of Cancer, not Leo! However, seeing that the first star visible with Venus on the evening sky was Regulus, alpha Leo, this too makes much sense!

Day 27 of Moon 3 of year 7 began at sunset June 29, 523 BCE. Seems that here too we may have a problem?! Venus is in the area of Gemini, NOT in Cancer. However, the Sun is in Cancer. Perhaps this is an error in translation? Or, perhaps the correct answer is found in recognizing that the Sun too is a star and that the Sun was, at that time, in Cancer! Indeed, as represented by my astronomy software, SNB, Venus was visible even before sunset! And, looking up Venus and magnitude I find that Venus is brighter as a crescent than it is at its full, that is, because of its closeness to Earth…

Indeed, to me, both of these Venus notations seems powerful evidence of the astronomer’s actual first hand observation of these events, that is, as opposed to theoretical calculations as some are suggesting.

The alternative 512-510 BCE scenario:

Per our findings (cf. footnote #) for the 512-510 scenario re Jupiter, day 10 of Moon 3 of year 7, must have fallen on June 29 or 30, 511 BCE. However, in that 7^th year the only lunar eclipses fell, not in the 4^th and 10 Moons as required by this record, but in the 2^nd and 8^th Moons. Seeing that there is no fit for both the Jupiter events and the eclipse events as recorded on BM33066, I find that the 512-510 scenario is not a workable option and can be most certainly ruled out! – Accordingly, I may now freely go on with my creation of an interpretation of BM33066 in terms of the 323-321 BCE scenario…

[8] Conventional placement in July 522 BCE: As observable from the Baghdad horizon on July 5, 522 BCE per Starry Night Backyard software: Sunset: 19:11:36; beginning of penumbral (not noticeable) shadow: 20:49:36; beginning of visible shadow: 22:02:36; beginning of total eclipse: 22:59:00; end of total eclipse: 00:47:00; end of visible shadow: 01:46:00; end of penumbral (not noticeable) shadow: 02:58:00.

Accordingly, the blood colored red totally eclipsed Moon began 3 hours, 48 minutes, and 24 seconds after sunset, and the visible eclipse began 2 hours and 53 minutes after sunset. It follows that F. X. Kugler’s 1907 translation - “1 2/3 Doppelstunden (3h 20m,)” i.e. “1 2/3 double hours [three hours and twenty minutes]” - is a less correct translation than is “1 2/3 and 1 double hour” as found at this link.

[9] Please note that the cuneiform word translated “the north wind blew” is probably better translated in terms of “stood.” Cf. my discussion at footnote 59 under this link.

[10] Conventional placement in December 522 BCE: As observable from the Baghdad horizon on December 30-31, 522 BCE per Starry Night Backyard software: Sunset: 17:06:30; beginning of penumbral (invisible) eclipse shadow: 17:35:04; beginning of visible partial (64.36%) eclipse: 18:48:00; end of visible partial eclipse: 21:18:00; sunrise: 07:11:28; moonset: 07:37:52.

Notice: The facts of this eclipse do not agree with the words of the record as conventionally translated!: Not, by far, a total eclipse, and the eclipse occurred in the evening, not in the hours before dawn!

Alternatives to conventional placement: Looking at the placement of lunar eclipses between 539 BCE and 500 BCE, I find only one other reasonably timed lunar eclipse pair: In 512 BCE…

As observable from the Baghdad horizon on June 14-15, 512 BCE per Starry Night Backyard software: Sunset: 19:05:09; beginning of penumbral (invisible) eclipse shadow: 23:14:33; beginning of visible partial (76.47%) eclipse: 00:28:00; end of visible partial eclipse: 03:19:00; end of penumbral (invisible) eclipse: 04:31:00; sunrise: 04:46:41; moonset: 04:58:33.

As observable from the Baghdad horizon on December 9-10, 512 BCE per Starry Night Backyard software: Sunset: 16:59:59; beginning of penumbral (invisible) eclipse shadow: 00:44:00; beginning of visible total eclipse: 01:53:00; beginning of totally eclipsed Moon: 02:49:00; end of totally eclipsed Moon: 04:34:00; end of visible eclipse: 05:29:00; end of penumbral eclipse: 06:38:40; sunrise: 06:58:15; moonset: 07:10:33.

Conclusion re alternative placement in time: Seeing that the beginning of the June 14/15, 512 BCE visible eclipse is too far removed from sunset while also not a total eclipse, while the December 9/10, 512 BCE eclipse seem a fairly good fit, I find that most likely the translation of the cuneiform is in serious error and must be thoroughly reviewed and reconsidered. Perhaps the best approach to this problem is to begin by considering the within record of Jupiter and Saturn? Cf. lines 1-3 reverse!

[11] If “total eclipse” is a correct translation, then this does not fit 522 BCE! Please cf. the Notice under footnote #10!

[12] Re the cuneiform words translated “the south and north winds blew”, please cf. footnote#9.