Aryabhatiya
Aryabhata completes the Aryabhatiya, presenting mathematical methods and astronomical rules for calculating planetary positions.
Astronomer profile · World History Database
Aryabhata
Aryabhata was one of the foundational figures of classical Indian mathematical astronomy. His Aryabhatiya, composed around AD 499, set out computational methods for planetary positions, eclipses and calendrical astronomy. It also described the apparent daily motion of the sky in terms of the rotation of the Earth, an important insight in the history of astronomical thought.
Why Aryabhata matters in astronomy
His work links mathematical technique with observational astronomy and illustrates that major developments in astronomy were taking place far beyond medieval Europe. The World History Database records below place Aryabhata within the longer chronology of astronomical ideas.
3matching database records
AryabhataName2, Name1 format
Aryabhata timeline in the database
Eclipse Calculations
Aryabhata gives a scientific explanation of solar and lunar eclipses using the shadows of Earth and the Moon.
Rotation of Earth
Aryabhata explains the apparent daily motion of the stars by describing Earth as rotating on its axis.
Related astronomy topics
Sources and editorial provenance
Compiled and edited by World History Database
Historical chronology compiled from the World History Database and checked against major scientific and historical reference sources.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
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