The latest dated astronomical observation from Babylon

The late Babylonian astronomical texts were among the many artifacts recovered from the site of Babylon during the last century. These cuneiform tablets contain astronomical observations and predictions from about 750 BC to AD 75 made by Babylonian astronomers. Sadly many of these tablets, which are now largely held in the British Museum, are badly damaged and no longer contain the date of the record. However, using modem astronomical theories it is sometimes possible to find a unique date for the observations contained in a number of these texts. Using these methods the tablet BM 35606 has been found to contain an observation from the 30th June 10 BC The tablet, which has been translated by Professor Hermann Hunger of the University of Vienna, contains an observation of a very large solar eclipse during which the star Sirius and the planets Venus and Mercury were visible. The date of 30th June 10 BC is the latest astronomical observation yet known from Babylon, although almanacs of astronomical predictions have been found from as late as AD 75.