Amos 8:9

Celestial wonders, which Amos pictures as accompanying the day of retribution (comp. Isaiah 13:10; Joel 2:10, Joel 4:15). It is possible that the imagery is borrowed from an eclipse of the sun; and one which occurred June 15, b.c. 763, has been thought of as having suggested it. According to von Oppolzer's chart [192], the centre of totality of this eclipse passed through Asia Minor at about 38 39˚ N.; and it may therefore be reasonably inferred that it was visible in the latitude of Jerusalem (31˚ 46′ N.) as a fairly large partial eclipse. (To go downis lit. to go in, as regularly in Heb., when said of the sun.)

[192] In his elaborate "Canon der Finsternisse" (particulars of 8000 solar eclipses from b.c. 1207 to a.d 2161, with 160 charts, exhibiting their tracks), in vol. 52 (1887) of the Denkschriftenof the Vienna Academy. The eclipse is mentioned in the Assyrian annals (G. Smith, Eponym Canon, pp. 46, 47); and its course has also been calculated independently (ib.p. 83).