Archaeoastronomy in East Asia: Historical Observational Records ...

BC 154 Feb 27 [China] (Ho 29)

3rd year of the Qianyuan reign period of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, 1st month, day yisi [42]; a “long star” emerged in the west.

[Shiji: Xiao Jing ben ji] ch. 11

NB: Ho (1962) gave an incomplete date.

BC 148 Apr 29–May 27 [China] (Ho 30)

2nd year of the Zhongyuan reign period of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, 4th month; a star became fuzzy in the northwest.

[Han shu: Jing di ji] ch. 5

BC 147 Apr 18–May 17 [China] (Ho 31)

3rd year of the Zhongyuan reign period of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, 3rd month; a broom star emerged in the northwest.

[Shiji: Jing di ji] ch. 11

BC 147 May 13 [China] (Ho 31)

3rd year of the Zhongyuan reign period of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, 3rd month, day dingyou [34]; a broom star appeared at night in the northwest. It was white, 1 zhang long, and located in [lunar mansion] Zuixi [LM 20]. By dawn when it left (i.e., was obscured in daylight), it had decreased in size; after 15 days, it was no longer seen.

[Han shu: tianwen zhi] ch. 26

BC 147 Aug 6 [China] (Ho 32)

3rd year of the Zhongyuan reign period of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, 6th month, day renxu [59]; a [white] fluffy star [pengxing] as big as a 2 peck measure appeared in the southwest, south of Fang [LM 4], at a distance of about 2 zhang. On day guihai [60], it was northeast of Xin [LM 5] and about 1 zhang long. On day jiazi [1], it was north of Wei [LM 6] and about 6 zhang long. On day dingmao [4], it was north of Ji [LM 7], near the Milky Way, and slightly smaller; by dawn when it left (i.e., was obscured in daylight), it was as big as a peach; by its departure on day renshen [9], [it had been visible] for 10 days in all.

[Han shu: tianwen zhi] ch. 26

[Xi Han huiyao] ch. 28