Experts have been analysing the Venus Table of the Dresden Codex – an ancient Mayan document on their astronomical data – for more than 120 years and found that it contains accurate observations and even calculations of a leap year. In a new paper from UC Santa Barbara's Gerardo Aldana, a professor of anthropology and of Chicana and Chicano studies, looks at how Mayan hieroglyphics (epigraphy) in the ancient text tracks the observable phases of Venus. According to Mr Aldana, the document contains mathematical calculations about Venus's irregular cycle around the sun which the Mayan's accurately discovered took 583.92 days. Mr Aldana explained: "So that means if you do anything on a calendar that's based on days as a basic unit, there is going to be an error that accrues." Additionally, they were tracking Venus to benefit themselves. Mr Aldana continues: "They're using Venus not just to strictly chart when it was going to appear, but they were using it for their ritual cycles. "They