On the Early Babylonian Eclipse of the Sun, 
259 
June 20th total at Babylon, and the day, June 20th, accords well with 
the day recorded on the Tablet. 
There would be no justification for introducing so important a change 
into the expression for the mean longitude of the sun merely to satisfy the 
record of a single eclipse of the sun, however important this record might 
be, and this eclipse seen near Babylon is of the highest importance. 
Dr. Cowell justifies his proposal to introduce this secular acceleration 
in the apparent motion of the sun by the fact that by so doing he can 
bring the amended tables into accord with the modern observations of 
the sun and moon, and at the same time make them closely represent the 
recorded ancient eclipses of — 
-1062 July 31st Assumed Eclipse of Babylon 
- 762 May 18th The Eclipse of Nineveh 
- 602 May 18th The Eclipse of Larissa 
- 584 May 28th The Eclipse of Thales 
- 430 August 3rd The Eclipse of Thucydides 
- 309 August 15th The Eclipse of Agathocles 
+ 197 June 3rd The Eclipse of Utica 
And if the principal ancient eclipses of the sun can be represented by 
no other hypothesis, this would constitute strong evidence. 
But is this the only hypothesis which will serve to represent the 
principal ancient eclipses as well as the modern observations of the sun 
and moon ? Further, can it be adopted without raising serious theoretical 
difficulties in other directions? The consideration of these questions 
must be deferred for the present. 
This eclipse of Babylon is likely to be of the greatest value, as it may 
serve as a criterion to distinguish between the different possible systems 
of corrections to the elements of the moon and sun by which the series of 
ancient eclipses of the sun may be represented. 
If it be identified with the eclipse of —1062 July 31st, a system of 
correction similar to that proposed by Dr. Cowell would be established, 
with all its momentous consequences. If identified with the eclipse of 
- 1123 May 18th, then by slight modification of a system of corrections 
analogous to those of Professor Oppolzer, it would be possible to repre- 
sent also the eclipses of - 762 June 15th, - 602 May 18th, - 584 May 
28th, -309 August 15th, -173 October 20th, -128 November 20th, 
and +197 June 3rd: or eight of the best established ancient eclipses. If 
identified with the eclipse of —1217 June 5th, the eclipses of —762, 
-602, -430, -309, -173, and -128, could be represented by data 
agreeing closely with that furnished by theory. If identified with the 
eclipse of —1014 July 11th, a corresponding system of data would 
represent almost the same series of eclipses. 
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