The Odyssey was written down about 800-900 BC, and describes events carried on by oral tradition occuring back in the 12th century. After it was committed to papyrus, it continued to be edited and refined for centuries. Still, archaeology occasionally turns up hard evidence that more often than not confirms details in the original story. There was a Troy, and it was where Homer said it was, but the city lasted for a thousand years and it was destroyed and rebuilt by fire, earthquake and war a dozen times. Which Troy is mentioned in the Odyssey is still being debated. Not too long ago, a Bronze Age tomb turned up a helmet made up of boar's tusks sewn on to a skullcap, just as Homer describes the hero's headgear. Whether it was actually his, or just a style popular at the time, is anybody's guess.

This is an interesting speculation, but it presupposes Homer's time was knowledgeable enough about astronomy that these references were possible, and if that was the case, why didn't he just say so? The Greeks of the Iron Age knew what caused eclipses and were familiar with Mercury in retrograde. It is not unreasonable that the Bronze Age also had some of this knowledge.

Homeric studies are full of this sort of conjecture, most of it concerning his actual route and the places he visited. Invariably, they are all highly convincing and exquisitely supported by documentary evidence and solid reasoning. Unfortunately, none of them agree with one another.

Still, it IS cool! Thanks for sharing this with us.