21. Characteristic Phenomena: Superior Planet

In addition to simply logging the location of a planet, Babylonian astronomers watched for and recorded distinctive patterns of the planet's motion relative to the fixed stars. The events that interested the Babylonians are today called characteristic phenomena.

For superior planets Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, the characteristic phenomena are: 1) First appearance in the East 2) First stationary point 3) Opposition 4) Second stationary point 5) Last appearance in the West.