Alsufis book of the fixed stars, dating from around ad 964, is one of the most important medieval arabic treatises on astronomy. Al sufi published his famous book of fixed stars in 964, describing much of his work, both in textual descriptions and pictures. Kawakib althabitah book of the images of the fixed stars which he completed in shiraz around 964. If you cannot decipher the captcha, please click the reload or sound button in the captcha box. Originally written in arabic, it was later translated into persian and also into latin. How is the book of fixed stars by alsufi significant in. This work is usually found at the end of the manuscripts of al sufi s book of fixed stars and has led to much confusion regarding the identity of the original author. Constellations in the 10th century islamic world aleph. Alsufi called it little cloud alternatively translated as a small cloudy patch and provided a representative image of it a girl standing in front of a fish, representing andromedas placement in front of the. In 964, the persian astronomer abd alrahman alsufi wrote his famous book of fixed stars, in which he gave arabic names to stars in the 48 classical constellations, discussing the stars. If anyone knows any other information could please tell me. Fixed stars archives and manuscripts at the bodleian library. Book of fixed stars also, book of the 48 constellations dedicated to the buyid ruler, abu shujaa fana khusrow adud al dawla, 936 983 c.
He also wrote a comprehensive treatise on the astrolabe in 1760 chapters which. The book of the fixed stars has been copied down through the ages, and currently 35 copies are known to exist in various. Al sufi wrote his book of fixed stars in 964, in text and pictures biography. Capricorn from the liber locis stellarum fixarum 964 of abd arrahman assufi ptolomeic constellations of the universe 1428. Abdalrahman al sufi december 7, 903 seds messier database. Abd alrahman alsufi and his book of the fixed stars. Al sufi s book of fixed stars wikipedia across the middle east, this morning, internet browsers will be greeted with a somewhat crabby sight. This work was developed from ptolemys almagest, but was based upon al sufis own stellar observations. 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.
Then i had to identify the criteria with which to choose the manuscripts which were used as the bases for the translation and discussions. Al sufi was the first astronomer to describe the nebulosity of the nebula in andromeda in his book of constellations atlas of heavens. On friday 27th of january, 2018, i gave a presentation at the kw rasc on alsufis book of fixed stars. The second is a 17thcentury ottoman turkish translation of the first part on the supraterrestrial creatures of kitab ajaib al makhluqat wagharaib al mawjudat the wonders. Alsufis book of the constellations of the fixed stars. Abd al rahman alsufi 7 december 903 25 may 986, known as al sufi, was a persian astronomer. This major work contains detailed star charts and an extensive star. Al sufi published his famous book of fixed stars in 964 al sufi, describing much of his work, both in textual descriptions and pictures. 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 al sufi himself, and two.
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 an extensive star catalog, which lists star coordinates and magnitude estimates, as well as detailed star charts. Alsufi called it little cloud alternatively translated as a small cloudy patch and provided a representative image of it a girl standing in front of a fish, representing andromedas placement in front of the arabian constellation of the big fish. The book of fixed stars, which is based on the almagest, claudius ptolemys most important treatise on the stars. The front page from al sufi s kitab suwar al kawakib, this one is a copy from year 1417. In 1985, the east african country of somalia issued this set of four stamps containing constellation illustrations from al.
Al sufi produced a revised and updated version of ptolemys almagest in a major book called kitab suwar al kawakib the book of fixed stars, completed around 964 ce. The illustrations have clearly been redrawn from those in the manuscript known as marsh 144, kept in the bodleian library, oxford. A study in islamic constellation images, by emmy wellesz, in ars orientalis 3 1959, pp. Alsufi s book of the constellations of the fixed stars, followed by maxims, and alqazwini s the wonders of creation description this manuscript volume preserves two works. How is the book of fixed stars by al sufi significant in history. This is an outstanding medieval treatise on astronomy that was written in ad 964. One of the major processes in history is the process of cultural interaction and cultural exchange. Abd alrahman alsufis book of the fixed stars dates from around ad 964 and is one of the most important medieval arabic treatises on astronomy. In 964, al sufi wrote what was to be his most famous book, his masterpiece. Pdf abdulrahman alsufi and his book of the fixed stars. The book of fixed stars by abd al rahman al sufi 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.
Albiruni reports that his work on the ecliptic was carried out in shiraz. The book is the first illustrated pictorial star atlas, and was very influential for centuries after it was authored. Al sufi s book of fixed stars kitab al kawatib al thabit al musawwar includes a catalog of 1,018 stars, giving their approximate positions, magnitudes, and colors. Al sufi s book provides corrections to data that ptolemy had recorded of many stars. In his descriptions and pictures of andromeda, he included a little cloud which is actually the andromeda galaxy m31. The lunar crater azophi and the minor planet 12621 alsufi are named after him. The book was written in arabic, although the author himself was persian. In the year 964 ad, al sufi published his findings in a book titled kitab al kawatib al thabit al musawwar, or the book of fixed stars. Abd al rahman alsufi, known in the west as azophi, was one of the two most outstanding practical astronomers of the middle ages. Andromeda galaxy as it appears in alsufis fixed stars.
In 964 al sufi published his famous book kitab al kawatib al thabit al musawwar book of fixed stars, a masterpiece on stellar astronomy. Abd al rahan al sufi ad 903986 is justly famous for his book of the fixed stars. It spread widely from central asia, throughout the middle east, and to europe. The book of fixed stars by abd alrahman alsufi all. David storm rice, the oldest illustrated arabic manuscript, bulletin of the school of oriental and african studies, 22 1959, 207220. He also wrote a comprehensive treatise on the astrolabe in 1760 chapters which only survives in a shortened version in 170 chapters. His most famous work is the kitab suwar al kawakib, book of the constellations of the fixed stars 986 which described the 48 constellations from ptolemys almagest.
He mentions it as lying before the mouth of a big fish, an arabic constellation. This is attested to by a gilded dedication panel on folio 1r. A 12thcentury iraqi illustrated manuscript of abd al rahman al sufi s book of fixed stars. The lunar crater azophi and the minor planet 12621 al sufi are named after him. Get an answer for how is the book of fixed stars by al sufi significant in history. The investigation of stars, star clusters and nebulae in. The cards give the name in the inscriptioncolophon scrawled in red ink along the lower left of fol. A massive poem made up of 495 verses in total with each stanza describing the constellation in a simple and easy to understand language. The constellation of scorpiothe tenthcentury astronomer abd alrahman alsufi a. Al sufi published his famous book of fixed stars in 964 al sufi, 964, describing much of his work, both in textual descriptions and pictures. Kitab suwar alkawakib althabita book of the images of. Was a friend and pupil of alsufi, ruled shiraz alsufi mentions him in his book alhussain mentions him in his poem.
Alsufis book of the images of the fixed stars and its. Abd alsufi and observational astrophysics in ancient. Islamic the constellation leo, folio probably from the kitab suwar al kawakib al thabita book of the images of the fixed stars 1998. It is considered important even now for the study of proper motions and long period variables.
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