Comet Lore: Halley's Comet in History and AstronomyEmerson, Edwin
History
Comet Lore: Halley's Comet in History and Astronomy
Emerson, Edwin
Comets; Halley's comet
All Comets recorded in history, so Lubienitius has shown in his
“Universal History of All Comets,” appeared in connection with some
great event or catastrophe in the History of Man.
George F. Chambers, one of the most up-to-date writers on Astronomy
and Comets, on the second page of his “Story of the Comets” (1909),
declares:
“It is the general testimony of History during many
hundreds of years, one might even say during fully
2,000 years, that Comets were always considered to
be peculiarly ‘ominous of the wrath of Heaven and as
harbingers of wars and famines, of the dethronement
of Monarchs and the dissolution of Empires.’”
Reaching back into remotest history, the sacred books of India show
that the births of Krishna and of Buddha were foretold by moving lights
in the Heavens.
The ancient records of China tell of the appearance of a moving beacon
in Heaven at the birth of Yu, the first ruler of the Celestial Empire,
and again at the birth of the great Chinese prophet, Lao-Tse.
The ancient Greeks have recorded similar appearances of Comets.
Aesculapius, the divine healer and first physician, was born under a
Comet.
The oldest traditions of the Jews tell us that when Abraham was born a
moving star was seen in the East.
Another moving star with long radiant gleams of light streaming behind
it shone forth at the birth of Moses. This Comet was seen by the Magi
of Egypt, who pointed it out to the King as an omen meant for him.
Hence Pharaoh’s order, as recorded in the Old Testament, for the
slaughter of all male Jewish infants then born in Egypt.
GREAT EVENTS CONNECTED WITH HISTORIC COMETS IN ANTIQUITY
The earliest Comet of which there is any historic record was a Comet
mentioned in the oldest cuneiform inscriptions of Babylonia several
thousand years before our Christian era, recently found on the north
bank of Nahr-al-Kalb, near Beyrut in Syria. This Comet is recorded to
have been visible to the naked eye for 29 nights.
At the time Lubienitius wrote his big “History of all the Comets” the
exact date of this Comet had not been fixed. Lubienitius, though, had
a record of this same Comet, the date of which he fixes at the year
2312 before Christ, the date computed by him and other writers for the
beginning of the deluge.
In modern times the great French astronomer Laplace credited a Comet
with causing huge floods at the time of the great Deluge.
Two hundred and eighty-eight years after the great Deluge, according to
the records of the Chaldean star gazers, there appeared another Comet.
This is the date, computed by Lubienitius, for the building of the
Tower of Babel and the confusion of tongues.
Two thousand and sixty-four years before Christ, another Comet
appeared, as recorded by the Chaldeans. This is the date given for the
birth of Abraham.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account