"I am willing to accept that the ancients observed things in their environment that are no longer visible today."

.. and ...

"For example, the planets may have been much closer together, such that they would dominate the
sky."

... in the same paragraph.

These two sentences do not belong on the same page.

What ancients?

Who would have been around to observe when planets were much closer together? That would have been millions or billions of years ago.

How can you "accept" something that is not documented in any form or fashion in history?

Oh, and your Scientific American article says:

" ... may have had ..."

" ... artist's conception ..."

" ... may have guided ..."

" ... seem to have ... "

That's Scientific Bullshit ... it ain't Science.

LMAO@U