5/9/2020 Counting the years: historical and astronomical – RadixPro

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Background information on astrology

Counting the years: historical and

astronomical

For astronomical calculations you need the astronomical way to count the
years. But there exists also a historical way to count the years. Both
methods give the same results starting with the year 1 CE. But before that
year, the di er.

In the historical count the year 1 BCE precedes the year 1 CE. The year 0
does not exist.

In the astronomical count there is a year 0. The year 0 precedes the year 1,
and the year -1 precedes the year 0.

If you translate the historical count of 1 CE to +1 en 1 BCE to -1, you will

miss one year.

So you cannot use the historical count for calculations. You need to
translate historical years

Formula

The formula is straightforward:

Calculate AY (Astronomical Year) from HY (Historical Year):

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5/9/2020 Counting the years: historical and astronomical – RadixPro

if HY has a pre x ‘CE’ : AY = HY

if HY has a pre x ‘BCE’ : AY = -HY – 1

In stead of ‘CE’ (Common Era) you might also nd ‘AD’ (Anno Domini).

In stead of ‘BCE’ (Before Common Era) some people also use ‘BC’ (Before

Christ)

Examples

HY = 3 CE → AY = HY = 3

HY = 8 CE → AY = -HY – 1 = -9

Reference

– Doggett, L. E: Calendars. In Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical

Almanac, ed. P. Kennet Seidelmann. Sausalito, California, 1992/2006.

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