An ancient Chinese text from 709 BCE described the sun as "completely yellow above and below."
Sandeep K S
Dec 6, 2025
1 min read
Researchers solve a 2,700-year-old puzzle by relocating the earliest recorded total solar eclipse of 709 BCE. Modern calculations and historical geography reveal Earth's faster rotation and the sun's reawakening, offering new insights into ancient celestial events.
Ancient Chinese manuscript documenting the earliest recorded total solar eclipse in 709 BCE, as described in the Spring and Autumn Annals.
A passage from the "Hanshu" (Book of Han), a Chinese historical text, detailing the 709 BCE solar eclipse with a description likened to the solar corona. Credit: National Archives of Japan.
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