ASTRONOMER

Life
Pherecydes, son of Babydos and a contemporary of Thales, Anaximander and Anaxagoras, was the teacher of Pythagoras. He spent 10 years in Egypt before establishing his school in Samos. He is cited by Diogenes Laertius.


Work
His works include:

- A 'heliotropion', or 'shadow-chaser': The first example of this instrument, which was a more advanced kind of gnomon used determine midday and to calculate the length of the year and the geographical latitude, was built by Pherecydes in Samos.

"On the seven sections of the universe": Unbounded space, heaven of the fixed stars, heaven of the 'wandering stars' (planets), sphere of the sun, sphere of the moon, sphere of the earth, underworld.

"Heptamychos": (or "Pentamychos"). History of the creation of the world. Pherecydes held that there were three eternal beings: Zeus, Time and Chthone (Earth).

Pherecydes predicted lunar and solar eclipses.