-

FEAT OF CLAY

36. Adjusting Delta-T and Other Fixes

Fatoohi et al computed delta-T based on historical records of astronomical events, including eclipses from Babylon. Their delta-T works out to 4h 40m in the year -500, a figure close to the 4h 31m determined by a contemporary investigator.

Lunar acceleration is another input the researchers fine tuned. Generally accepted values range from -23.895" to -26.0"/cy2 [seconds of a degree per century per century]. The authors found that -26.0''/cy2 delivers superior results.

They even revalued the cubit. Instead of 2.0 degrees, Fatoohi et al concluded that 2.2 degrees provides better agreement with Babylonian measurements of planetary conjunctions.