Researchers recently discovered detailed maps of the night sky dating back more than 2,400 years.
The map is round white stone The study, published Nov. 22 in the journal Astronomical Notes, said it was unearthed at an ancient fort in northeastern Italy.
The map, which is about the size of a car tire, is made up of 29 engravings, which statistical analysis showed were almost certainly created by humans.
All sculptures except one exactly match the stars in the night sky, according to a news release from Italy’s National Institute of Astrophysics.
The map is considered to be “very complete, with all bright stars represented,” including the constellations Orion, Scorpius and the Pleiades, the researchers said.
Remarkably, however, one engraving did not match an existing star and was extremely difficult to explain.
“One interesting possibility is that either there was a bright star at the location that produced the supernova, or that the supernova likely failed and left behind a black hole as a remnant,” the researchers said. Ta.
This map dates from 1800 BC to 400 BC and is one of the earliest depictions of the night sky ever discovered.
However, creating such maps does not require advanced knowledge of space.
“A measurement unit of angular distance, such as the width of a finger or a simple ruler, and basic counting skills are sufficient,” the researchers said.
It may have been used to track seasonal changes, when local residents begin major agricultural operations.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from the National Institute of Astrophysics.
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