Effects of Celestial Motions on Human Activities

Abstract

The lives of ancient people were governed by the Sun. Light and warmth provided by the Sun were essential for survival. Human activities were confined to the day because darkness made outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing difficult, if not impossible. It was also much harder to spot and evade predators at night. By watching the position of the Sun in the sky, our ancestors learned that while the Sun goes from east to west in the course of day, it also swings from north to south over the course of a year. Tracking and understanding the patterns of the Sun’s movement provided humans the first motivation of rational thinking.