Obervation Method of Eclipse in Ancient Chinese Astronomy

Eclipse is one of the important astronomical events humans can perceive by eyes, so humans pay more attention to it in ancient times. There are quantities of records of eclipse observation. In about 20 centuries BC, the earliest record of eclipse in the world is found in a Chinese chronology. It is estimated that there are about thousands of records of eclipse in Chinese chronology (the most in the world).

In ancient times, the main method of observing eclipse is reflection from water basin, which is used in 1 century BC. In Song Dynasty, people began to use oil basin instead of water basin. And in Yuan Dynasty, GUO Shoujin did measurement of eclipse by means of image by ping hole. At the end of Ming Dynasty, Astronomer, XU Guangqi had begun to observe the eclipse by means of telescope.



Reflection of eclipse in ink water basin



Chinese Ancient Astronomer "GUO
Shoujing" in Yuan Dynnasty