Alsufi was the first astronomer to describe the nebulosity of the nebula in andromeda in his book of constellations atlas of heavens. The description of the fixed stars given by sufi is. Alsufi produced a revised and updated version of ptolemys almagest in a major book called kitab suwar alkawakib the book of fixed stars, completed around 964 ce. Retrograde motion lessens the effect of fixed stars. Abd alrahman alsufi 7 december 903 25 may 986, known as alsufi, was a persian astronomer. Abd alrahman alsufi, known in the west as azophi, was one of the two most outstanding practical astronomers of the middle ages. Abd alrahman alsufi december 7, 903 may 25, 986, sometimes known in the west as azophi, published the famous book of fixed stars in 964, describing much of his work, both in written descriptions and pictures g15djg from alamys library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. Abd alrahman alsufi simple english wikipedia, the free. On friday 27th of january, 2018, i gave a presentation at the kw rasc on alsufis book of fixed stars. It spread widely from central asia, throughout the middle east, and to europe. The book was written in arabic, although the author himself was persian. Alsufi wrote on astrology, astronomy, alchemy and mathematics.
He lived at the court of emir adud addaula in isfahan, persia, and worked on translating and expanding greek astronomical works, especially the almagest of ptolemy. Astronomical innovation in the islamic world modeling. Alsufi published kitab alkawatib althabit almusawwar also commonly known as the book of fixed stars in ad 964 and dedicated it to adud aldawla, the current ruler of buwayhid at the time. Persian alsufis book of the fixed stars, dated 100910 ad, was an attempt to translate ptolemy into arabic. It traces the history of celestial cartography and relates this history to the changing ideas of humanitys place in the universe. The pleiades stars are also known as the seven sisters. Alsufi wrote his book of fixed stars in 964, in text and pictures biography. Depictions of the dragon in an early islamic astrological.
In 964, the andromeda galaxy, the largest galaxy in the local group, was described by the persian muslim astronomer abd alrahman alsufi in his book of fixed stars. The book of fixed stars by abd alrahman alsufi all astronomers know the names of ptolemy, tycho brahe and johannes hevelius, three landmark characters who catalogued the stars with everincreasing accuracy between the second and seventeenth centuries. It thus remained unchallenged, not to be superseded until modern times. Constellations in the 10th century islamic world aleph. Book of fixed stars the constellation sagittarius from the depiction of celestial constellations. It is a planet between a star and earth that brings out the fixed stars potential. This is an outstanding medieval treatise on astronomy that was written in ad 964. His bestknown work is the kitabsuwaralkawakib althabitah book of the images of the fixed stars which he completed in shiraz around 964. It was an attempt to create a synthesis of the most popular classical work of astronomy ptolemys almagest with the indigenous arabic. The pleiades are found in the shoulder of taurus the bull, positioned at 0000.
This major work contains an extensive star catalog, which lists star coordinates and magnitude estimates, as well as detailed star charts. Alsufis book of the images of the fixed stars and its. Four dragons appear in one of the most famous astrological treatises from that period. Capricorn from the liber locis stellarum fixarum 964 of abd arrahman assufi ptolomeic constellations of the universe 1428. Modern astronomical studies on the star catalogue in al. These are followed by far more systematic accounts in akkadian, elamian and hittite from the second millennium bc onwards. It was an attempt to create a synthesis of the comprehensive star catalogue in ptolemys almagest books vii and viii with the indigenous arabic. Around this same time in 964, after more and more observations took place, one of irans most famous astronomers abd alrahman alsufi published the book of fixed stars, one of the most. Alsufis book provides corrections to data that ptolemy had recorded of many stars. Constellations, fixed stars and the zodiac in islamic. This work is usually found at the end of the manuscripts of alsufis book of fixed stars and has led to much confusion regarding the identity of the original author. At present no english translation of alsufis treatise exists. Different cultures throughout the ages have a mythology around these stars because this cluster is so striking in the sky.
This book, based on the almagest of the greek astronomer ptolemy, concerns the forty. The second is a 17thcentury ottoman turkish translation of the first part on the supraterrestrial creatures of kitab ajaib almakhluqat wagharaib almawjudat the wonders. Constellations, fixed stars and the zodiac in the islamic astronomy the earliest, somewhat enigmatic, references to the zodiac are found in ancient sumerian texts. This major work contains an extensive star catalogue, which lists star coordinates and magnitude estimates, as well as detailed star. Abd alrahman alsufi and his book of the fixed stars. Fixed stars do not move across the ecliptic in the same way as planets do and in classical times were believed to be fixed to a gigantic celestial sphere, which twirled in a stately dance around the earth every single day. Sep 3, 2014 kitab suwar alkawakib althabita book of the images of the fixed stars of alsufi stay safe and healthy. Hans karl frederik kristian schjellerup, eine uranometrie aus dem zehnten jahrhundert, astronomische nachrichten, 74 1869, 97104 nr. Alsufis book of fixed stars appears to be itself a rewrite of ptolomys almagest. Astronomy and astrology constellations cycles ptolemy alsufi alsufi, book of the fixed stars sufi latinus domenico bandini, fons memorabilium universi. Fixed star alcyone is the major star in the famous pleiades star cluster. Abd alrahman alsufi ad 903986 is justly famous for his book of the fixed stars. Taurus with images taurus constellation, constellations, astrology taurus.
The pictures show the configurations of the stars in the fortyeight constellations recognized by ptolemy, but the figures are dressed in oriental rather than classical greek garb. Abd alrahman alsufi, book of the constellations and. Abd alsufi and observational astrophysics in ancient. The book of fixed stars by abd alrahman alsufi all. Astronomy and astrology constellations cycles ptolemy alsufi alsufi, book of the fixed stars formerly berlin, collection sarre 1 browse results one by one. His most famous work is the kitab suwar alkawakib, book of the constellations of the fixed stars 986 which described the 48 constellations from ptolemys almagest. A massive poem made up of 495 verses in total with each stanza describing the constellation in a simple and easy to understand language.
Biruni reports that his work on the ecliptic was carried out in shiraz. The two oldest illustrated arabic manuscripts are copies of abd alrahman alsufis treatise on the fixed stars. The book of fixed stars, which is based on the almagest, claudius ptolemys most important treatise on the stars. The lunar crater azophi and the minor planet 12621 alsufi are named after him. Islam and the popularity of astrology explain the great. This treatise describes the fortyeight constellations formed by what were called the fixed stars the celestial objects that did. The book was written in arabic, although the author. Alsufi published his famous book of fixed stars in 964, describing much of his work, both in textual descriptions and pictures. This major work contains detailed star charts and an extensive star. The astronomical community has honored al sufi by naming a moon crater after him. Kitab suwar alkawakib althabita book of the images of. This book describes fortyeight constellations and the stars that they are composed of. It was an attempt to create a synthesis of the most popular classical work of astronomy.
Nebulous objects in al sufis book of the fixed stars 1. Abd alrahman ibn umar alsufi muslim scientists and. Originally written in arabic, it was later translated into persian and also into latin. One of these is preserved in the bodleian library, oxford ms.
Pdf the book of the fixed stars was written by the persian astronomer. Draco, the dragon, is also described as a seaserpent, and inspired not only the idea of the lunar nodes, but also constellations in more than one cultures star system. Al sufis book wasnt rewritten but merely translated. The text of this second edition is enriched with 263 photographs, 91 in color, showing images from actual antiquarian celestial books and atlases, each one with an. Alsufis book of the fixed stars, dating from around ad 964, is one of the most important medieval arabic treatises on astronomy. Al sufi was a persian astronomer who lived during the 10 th century. In the book of the fixed stars, al sufi combined ptolemys work of mapping constellations with arabic astronomical traditions. The oldest surviving illustrated arabic manuscript. Table 5 the 12 chapters of the constellations of the zodiac. Abu lhusayn abd alrahman ibn umar al sufi alsufis kitab suwar alkawakib al thabitah, or the book on the constellations of the fixed stars c. Abd alrahman alsufi 903986 was one of the most important scientists doing this work, supported by the buyid sultan adud aldaula, to whom he dedicated his book of the images of the fixed stars.
Dont know who rewrote or first translated sufis book. Although alsufis book on the fixed stars was translated into persian towards the middle of the th century by the equally famous astronomer nasir aldin altusi 1201. The book is the first illustrated pictorial star atlas, and was very influential for centuries after it was authored. Other topics include descriptions of nebulae, colors of stars and arabic folk astronomy. Built on the basis of the greek astronomical heritage, the work of al sufi contained a listing of the arabs own star names, magnitudes determined by alsufi himself, and two. Eclipses plus the planets jupiter out to pluto have the most marked effect in transit, activating the human head and the endocrine glands. Alsufis book of the constellations of the fixed stars. Al sufi published his famous book of fixed stars in 964 al sufi, describing much of his work, both in textual descriptions and pictures. Written around 964 the book contains extensive illustrations of each constellation from both the terrestrial perspective, looking up from earth, and the inverse, as the constellation would look from outside the sphere. The star atlas of alsufi the work was dedicated to the buyid ruler abushuja fannakhusraw, entitled adud aldawla 936 983, who was a friend and a pupil of alsufiand whose court was seated at shiraz until 97778 and baghdad epoch star catalogue. This appeared in or shortly after ad 964, some eight hundred years after the original almagest was written.
Star maps captures the beauty and awe of the heavens through celestial prints and star atlases. In 964, alsufi wrote what was to be his most famous book, his masterpiece. Alsufiwrote on astrology, astronomy, alchemy and mathematics. The book of fixed stars by abd alrahman alsufi azophi around. The front page from alsufis kitab suwar alkawakib, this one is a copy from year 1417. Alsufis book of fixed stars kitab alkawatib althabit almusawwar includes a catalog of 1,018 stars, giving their approximate positions, magnitudes, and colors.
Astronomy and astrology in the medieval islamic world. Kitab suwar alkawakib althabita book of the images of the fixed stars of alsufi author. The fixed stars were so called by the ancients to distinguish them from the planets, or wanderers, which are heavenly bodies moving perceptibly across the sphere of the zodiac. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. The book of fixed stars is an astronomical text written by abd alrahman alsufi azophi around 964. There is no doubt that al sufi ranks as one of the most outstanding astronomers of modern times. The sn 1006 supernova, the brightest apparent magnitude stellar event in recorded history, was observed by the egyptian arabic astronomer ali ibn ridwan and chinese astronomers in. Edward stewart kennedy, astronomy and astrology in the medieval islamic.
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