Throughout human history, the night sky has always been an endless source of inspiration for civilizations. From distant stars, planets, to special astronomical phenomena, celestial bodies always bring people questions and mysteries. Ancient astronomy was the foundation for modern cosmic discoveries, as ancient humans not only observed but also built theories and stories around celestial bodies. From the Babylonian and Egyptian civilizations to the Greeks and Romans, ancient astronomers left behind important legacies of astronomical knowledge, although much remains unanswered.
This article will explore the mysteries of the celestial bodies that ancient astronomers tried to explain, along with the hypotheses and insights they contributed to humanity.

Stars and Their Important Roles in Ancient Civilizations
Stars were among the first objects of observation in ancient astronomy. Ancient people observed the stars not only for their beauty, but also because they played an important role in navigation and timing. Babylonians was one of the earliest civilizations to have a detailed star observation system. They classified the stars into constellations and created astronomical tables to record their positions through the seasons.
In Egypt, stars were considered symbols of the gods. Sirius starthe brightest star in the night sky, played an important role in determining the Egyptian agricultural calendar. When Sirius first appeared in the sky at dawn, it was also a sign that the flood season of the Nile was about to begin. The Egyptians also built structures such as Giza pyramid so that its corridors align with the positions of the stars at key times of the year.
Planets: “Wandering Stars” in the Eyes of Ancient People
Planets, unlike fixed stars, caused much curiosity among ancient people because of their strange movements in the sky. The ancient Greeks called them “πλανήτης” (planetai)meaning “wandering star”. Ancient astronomers noticed that planets such as Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn do not move steadily like other stars but change their position strangely compared to the background stars.
Astronomers like Ptolemy tried to explain this movement by the theory of concentric circles. According to the model geocentric According to Ptolemy, the planets moved in circular orbits around the Earth, but to explain retrograde motion, he proposed that the planets move in smaller circles called To be epicycles.
However, Ptolemy’s model could not completely explain the movements of the planets, and it was not until the Renaissance that the theory heliocentric system belong to Nicolaus Copernicusthe movements of the new planets were clarified.
Solar and Lunar Eclipses: Mysterious Astronomical Phenomena
Eclipse and lunar eclipse are mysterious astronomical phenomena and are often considered signs of great changes or important events in history. Ancient people witnessed these phenomena early on and developed many theories and myths to explain them.
The Babylonians were the first astronomers who were able to predict solar and lunar eclipses through their detailed observations and careful records. The Chinese also developed a system to predict this phenomenon very early. In Chinese mythology, it is believed that a giant dragon devours the Sun or Moon in real phenomena.
For the Greeks, a lunar eclipse was explained as the phenomenon of the Moon entering the Earth’s shadow. Philosopher Anaxagoras was one of the first people to propose an accurate theory of lunar eclipses, when he suggested that the Moon’s light was due to reflection from the Sun and that a lunar eclipse occurred when the Earth was between the Moon and the Sun. .
Comets and Meteors: Omens from Heaven
Comets and meteorites have always been associated with omens in ancient civilizations. Comet often seen as a sign of big changes or disasters. The Chinese recorded comets from a very early age and considered them a sign of abnormality. One of the most famous comets in history is Comet Halleyappears periodically every 76 years.
The Romans also considered comets to be omens, and the comet’s appearance in 44 BC was seen as a sign that Julius Caesar’s soul had ascended to godhood after his assassination.
Meanwhile, meteorites falling to Earth caused shock and fear in many civilizations. The Egyptians and Greeks used meteorites to make sacred objects, believing they brought power from heaven. Ancient astronomers were not yet able to explain the exact origin of comets and meteorites, but they tried to integrate these phenomena into mythological and religious systems.
Ancient Theories About Celestial Bodies
Ancient astronomy was not just about observations, but also the development of complex cosmological hypotheses. Many ancient astronomers tried to come up with theories to explain the structure of the universe and the positions of celestial bodies. One of the prominent hypotheses is geocentric model belong to Ptolemywhere the Earth stands still and all other celestial bodies orbit around it. Although this model was later superseded, it played an important role in the development of astronomy in ancient times.
Besides, Aristarchus was one of the first Greek astronomers to hypothesize that the Sun, not the Earth, was the center of the universe. However, this theory was not widely accepted at that time.
The Study of Ancient Celestial Bodies
The mysteries of celestial bodies in ancient astronomy are not only a source of inspiration for modern astronomers but also a bridge to a deeper understanding of how ancient civilizations viewed and interacted with the universe. universe. Their observations and theories laid the foundation for important discoveries in modern astronomy. Today, with the support of advanced technologies, scientists can continue to study ancient astronomical records and phenomena to shed more light on human understanding of the universe. pillar since ancient times.
In the future, studying ancient astronomical phenomena will not only help us better understand the universe but also expand our knowledge of the historical development of astronomy, thereby making new discoveries. about ancient civilizations and how they understood the night sky.