button to main menu  Gents Mag 1737 p.157
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Gentleman's Magazine vol.7 p.157, 1737:-

  Aldeberan
  Moon
Aldebaran Eclipsed

Occultation of ALDEBARAN by the MOON.
Mr. URBAN,
AS you now improve Mathematical Knowledge in your Magazine, I here send an Observation of the Star Aldebaran eclipsed by the Moon.
FEB 25. last, about V. in the Evening, I perceived the Star Aldebaran in antecedentia to the Moon, thro' a four-foot Day Telescope, but could not determine whether there would happen an Occultation or not, the Star seeming too much elevated for the Cusp of the illuminated Horn; and the Sun not being set, the obscured Portion of the Moon's Disk was altogether invisible; However I continued to observe, and about 30 after V. the Star instantaneously disappear'd behind the obscured Disk, as if it had been actually extinguished. It continued immersed just 16 Minutes, and made a sudden Eruption considerably below the Tip of the illuminated Horn: But as a Figure will represent the Appearance more natural, I have added one.

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The Place of Observation was Rufforth, in the same Latitude with York; but about five Miles more to the West, according to Measure.
The first Observation of this Star, that I know of, being eclips'd by the Moon, was in the Year 509 of Christ; but no doubt there were many antecedents to it. It has many Names; as the Lucida, Palilitium, Oculus Tauri, Aldebaran, and in the Hebrew, Kesil; hence Kesilim for the Hyades. Such an Immersion as this preceded the Overthrow of the Babylonian Empire by the Medes; for that Nation being eminent Astronomers, the Prophet Isaiah gave them a Sign fore-running their Destruction, after their own Method, and suited to their favourite Science, almost 300 Years before it happenend; which at that time was more than all the Mathematicians of the Universe could do. See Isaiah xiii. 10. For the Stars of Heaven and the Kesilim thereof shall be hid, &c. The rest of the Verse is a Prediction of a Solar and Lunar Eclipse happening much about the same Time; all which Occurrences have not, since that Period, happened so near again, till the present Year, that I know of.
Yours, G. S.
P.S. These and like Observations are of great Use, not only to determine the Longitude of Places, but to perfect the Theory of the Moon.
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