I’ve been looking for a resource for a long time but haven’t found much. What I am curious about is how people 500+ years ago predicted solar / lunar eclipses (for example). Columbus was able to persuade some islanders that he was some sort of god by making the moon darken/turn red at a predicted time due to an almanac he happened to have.
Would I be able to make the same prediction using only math and whatever instruments could measure the positions of the sun and moon that accurately? What instruments and equations do I use?
Would I be able to make the same prediction using only math and whatever instruments could measure the positions of the sun and moon that accurately? What instruments and equations do I use?