A statistical study of the Solar Eclipses recorded in Chinese and Korean history during the pre-telescopic era

Abstract

The Chinese and Korean solar eclipse records were translated from the Dynastic Histories, for the period 205 B.C. to 1621 A.D., the pre-telescopic era. The translated records were investigated for seasonal and temporal variations, as well as variations by magnitude and altitude. The Chinese and Korean sunspots records were also examined and comparisons were also made between the eclipse efficiencies and the sunspots. Comparisons were also made between the long-term solar variations shown by tree-ring (^14)C and northern hemisphere aurorae, and the sunspots, revealing a similar trend in the records. Where the sunspot records deviate from (^14)C and aurorae data, the deviation can be explained using the eclipse efficicency as a measure of the throughness of the ancient astronomers.