Dear Artur Karp,

As you saw, I forwarded your inquiry to Kim Plofker. She was a student of David Pingree. Besides checking a couple of his writings, as I mentioned, I also checked the article by Sukumar Ranjan Das, "Lunar and Solar Eclipses in Hindu Astronomy" (Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, n.s. vol. 24, 1928, pp. 437-454). He mentions the saros cycle at the end (p. 453), implying that the ancient Indian astronomers knew it. However, this was not obvious from their methods of calculating eclipses that he describes. Just thought I would mention this, in case you have not already checked this article.

Best regards,

David Reigle

On Wed, Jun 24, 2015 at 4:23 AM, Artur Karp <karp@uw.edu.pl> wrote:

My thanks go to Agathe Keller --- !

Now, the page 165 of Balachandra Rao's book carries the title: "Saros and Metonic cycle". I hoped prof. Rao would provide some information on the use of saros & Metonic cycle in the Indian astronomical/astrological practice. A disappointment: there is nothing there apart from some general info, such as could have been culled from any simple handbook on the history of astronomy. 

Was the concept of saros known to ancient Indian astronomers?

Best, 

Artur Karp

2015-06-24 0:00 GMT+02:00 Artur Karp <karp@uw.edu.pl>:

Dear List, 

could anyone, please, scan and send me a copy of page 165 from Balachandra Rao's "Indian Astronomy: An Introduction" (Universities Press, Hyderabad 2000)?

My thanks in advance, 

Artur Karp

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