The Graphical Ephemeris

The Graphical Ephemeris. 

Ink, Watercolor, Photography 11” x 17”

Tomek Kalamaya, Oct 11, 2024. 

An ephemeris is a table or publication that provides the positions of celestial objects, such as planets, moons, stars, and comets, at specific times. It's a valuable tool for astronomers, astrologers, and anyone interested in tracking the movements of celestial bodies.

The earliest known ephemerides date back to ancient Babylonian astronomers around 1800 BC. These early tables recorded the positions of the moon and planets.

Over the centuries, ephemerides became more accurate and detailed. The Greeks, Romans, and Arabs made significant contributions to the development of ephemeris astronomy.

In the Renaissance, astronomers like Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe used ephemerides to refine their understanding of planetary motion and develop more accurate models of the solar system.

The invention of the telescope in the 17th century led to even more precise observations and the creation of more detailed ephemerides.