Note A
Moon position 2
the moon stood 1 cubit in front of β Virginis
In both years the Moon is not "in front of" β Virginis. As a matter of interest if the ΔT time (what is this?) is reduced to 0 in both years the Moon then is in front of β Virginis
| 1 cubit in front of β Virginis | Moon | β Virginis | ° | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC588-05-10 21:00 | JD 1506786.25000 | 141°59'13" | 141.987° | 140°39'50" | 140.664° | 1.323° | behind |
| BC568-04-30 19:03 | JD 1514081.16875 | 151°37'08" | 151.619° | 140°56'39" | 140.944° | 10.675° | behind |
This is the first of three occasions that the year 568 BC is a day out from what the tablet says
Position 1 | Position 2 | Position 3
Note B
| Symbol | Syllables | Meanings |
|---|---|---|
 |
ŠUR | Mišlu: Half, midpoint(midday, midnight) Centre, middle. - The Assyrian Dictionary, Volume 10, M Part II (1977) pg 127-8 |
 |
GI6 ĝi6 ku10 mi |
mūšu: night ṣalāmu: cause to become dark, darkened, obscured |
 |
9 | 9 |
 |
SAG | Front, head pūtu: forehead ; front side |
|
GI6 ĝi6 ku10 mi |
mūšu: night ṣalāmu: cause to become dark, darkened, obscured |
 |
DIŠ | Constantly, always, one, sixty, if |
 |
U2 kuš3 |
load, horn unit |
 |
ušu3 ba3 es2 sin |
šalāšā: thirty, 30 half the moon |
  |
ina IGI | naṭālu: (to be able) to see , to look at, to gaze ; to observe (the sky); to be visible; ina maḫar: before (someone), in the presence, in front of - The Assyrian Dictionary, Volume 10, M, Part I, (1977) pg 106 |
 |
AB2 | arḫu: cow cattle kakkabu: a star |
 |
GIR3 | šēpu: foot |
 |
UB | Translated as: behind; tubqu: a corner. |
 |
ĝar niĝ2 ša2 |
Place Thing of |
  |
UR.A | UR.A = nēšu: Lion |
 |
DU DE6 GUB TUM6 |
go bring stand, sheep |
|
9 | 9 |
 |
AŠ.SU2 ina SU2 |
in the west |
 |
niš MAN šamaš2 |
twenty Mars Sun |
   |
NUN.LAGAR TUR3 |
animal stall |
Note C
A. The moon observations.
2. At the beginning of the night of the 8th (Nisan) 1 cubit the moon before the star at the rear foot of the lion (vs. 3). April 29, 8h evening:
- Moon λ = 139°.3 ß = +4°.0
- ß Virginis λ = 141°.0 ß = +0°.5 (1)
Certainly Nisan 8 was meant (see p. 41 above). If one keeps 9. Nisan, the specification matches γ Virginis. However, as No. 6 teaches, this star has a different name. ZU kakkab šêpu ár ša UR-A = ß Virginis. see Epping, Astronomisches aus Babylon, p. 128.
TRANSLATION FROM: Paul V. Neugebauer und Ernst F. Weidner (1915) Ein astronomischer Beobachtungstext aus dem 37. Jahre Nebukadnezars II (- 567/66).
Modern Results
Skycharts
- BC568-04-29 20h00m00s ( +03 )
- Moon: L: +139°09'19" (+139.15°) B:+03°46'25" (+3.77°)
- ß Virginis: L: +140°56'39" (+140.94°) B:+00°38'07" (0.63°)
- ΔT 18207.87s ( 05h03m27.87s )
Front Line 2 | Front Line 3 | Front Line 4