Byzantine solar eclipse records illuminate obscure history of Earth’s rotation | HeritageDaily

Japanese researchers investigated ancient texts from the 4th to 7th centuries AD to identify five total solar eclipses near the Eastern Mediterranean and improve the model of the Earth’s rotation over time

Tsukuba, Japan—Witnessing a total solar eclipse is an unforgettable experience and may have been even more impressive throughout history before we were able to understand and accurately predict their occurrence. But the historical records of these remarkable astronomical spectacles are more than mere curiosities—they provide invaluable information on changes in the Earth’s…