The Eclipse That Cost Two Astronomers Their Lives

On 22 October 2137 BC, a solar eclipse passed over China without warning. Two royal astronomers, Hsi and Ho, allegedly failed to predict it, and according to ancient texts, were executed for their negligence. Modern astronomical calculations confirm the eclipse occurred on this date, making it one of the earliest documented celestial events in human history. This episode also explores the War of Jenkins’ Ear, which began in October 1739 after a British sea captain presented his severed ear to Parliament as evidence of Spanish aggression, and André-Jacques Garnerin’s pioneering parachute jump from a hydrogen balloon over Paris in 1797. We close with a small asteroid detected and tracked before it entered Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific in October 2024, the tenth such object to be spotted in advance. From ancient China to modern telescopes, humans have been watching the sky, sometimes successfully, sometimes not, but always with the understanding that it matters.

Chapters

• Intro A solar eclipse in ancient China, two astronomers who missed it, and the high stakes of watching the sky when the emperor is watching you.
• The Eclipse, the Emperor, and the Astronomers Who Didn’t See It Coming On 22 October 2137 BC, a solar eclipse occurred over China during the early Xia dynasty. Royal astronomers Hsi and Ho allegedly failed to predict it, and according to the Shu Ching, were executed for neglecting their duties. Modern calculations confirm the eclipse, making this one of the oldest documented celestial events in human history.
• The War of Jenkins’ Ear In 1731, British sea captain Robert Jenkins claimed Spanish coast guards cut off his ear. He kept it in a jar and presented it to Parliament in 1738. Britain declared war on Spain in October 1739, with the first military action on 22 October targeting La Guaira, Venezuela.
• Garnerin’s Leap On 22 October 1797, André-Jacques Garnerin jumped from a hydrogen balloon at approximately 1,000 metres above Paris, making the first recorded parachute jump in history. His silk canopy oscillated wildly during descent, but he landed safely in a park.
• The Asteroid That Said Hello First On 22 October 2024, asteroid 2024 UQ was detected and tracked before entering Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean, where it disintegrated harmlessly. It was the tenth asteroid in history to be spotted before atmospheric entry.
• Outro Four thousand years of watching the sky, from ancient Chinese astronomers to modern detection systems, reflecting on why humans keep looking up.

Links

• https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEhistory/SEhistory.html
• https://www.britannica.com/event/War-of-Jenkins-Ear
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Andre-Jacques-Garnerin
• https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Planetary_Defence/Tenth_asteroid_discovered_before_impacting_Earth