Orion constellation, 15th century stock image c0269156. This book describes fortyeight constellations and the stars that they are composed of. The description of the fixed stars given by sufi is founded, it is true. Pdf the investigation of stars, star clusters and nebulae. Alsufi was one of the nine noted muslim astronomers. The giant orion was created out of an oxhide by the gods, jupiter, neptune and mercury, at the request of hyreus who. The book of the fixed stars was written by the persian astronomer abdulrahman alsufi around ad 964, and is one of the most important medieval arabic treatises on astronomy. Albiruni reports that his work on the ecliptic was carried out in shiraz. Alsufi s book of the images of the fixed stars and its influence on islamic and european celestial cartography robert h. The book is the first illustrated pictorial star atlas, and was very influential for centuries after it was authored. In his descriptions and pictures of andromeda, he included a little cloud which is actually the andromeda galaxy m31. Al sufi book of fixed stars ursa major the great bear bodleian library marsh. The second is a 17thcentury ottoman turkish translation of the first part on the supraterrestrial creatures of kitab ajaib almakhluqat wagharaib almawjudat the wonders of creation.
Astronomy image gallery muslim heritagemuslim heritage. There are six copies of assufis book of the fixed stars. The book of fixed stars is an astronomical text written by abd alrahman alsufi azophi around 964. The book was written in arabic, although the author. The lunar crater azophi and the minor planet 12621 alsufi are named after him. At present no english translation of alsufis treatise exists. The foot on the left is annotated rijl al jauza al yusra, the arabic name from which rigel is derived. The book covers all 48 constellations in the ptolemaic system. The orion nebula also known as messier 42, m42, or ngc 1976 is a diffuse nebula situated in the milky way, being south of orion s belt in the constellation of orion. The first english translation of the book of the fixed stars was published in 20 by ihsan hafez of james cook university, australia. Alsufis book of the constellations of the fixed stars.
Alsufis book of the fixed stars, dating from around ad 964, is one of the most important medieval arabic treatises on astronomy. On friday 27th of january, 2018, i gave a presentation at the kw rasc on al sufi s book of fixed stars. 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. It is one of the brightest nebulae, and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky. 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. Alsufis orion, 1125 baghdad copy, doha museum of islamic art ms 2. The second is a 17thcentury ottoman turkish translation of the first part on the supraterrestrial creatures of kitab ajaib almakhluqat wagharaib almawjudat the wonders. Abd alrahman alsufi simple english wikipedia, the free. The boo k was written in arabic, although the author himself was persian. Book of the fixed stars featured many constellation drawings, including orion.
This is an outstanding medieval treatise on astronomy that was written in ad 964. Bodleian library around 964, alsufi published his kitab suwar alkawakib more commonly referred to by its english. It was an attempt to create a synthesis of the comprehensive star catalogue in ptolemy s almagest. Aquila and orion are the right way round, although aquila has south at the top. The depiction of orion, as seen from earth left and a mirrorimage, from a thcentury copy of alsufis book of the fixed stars. In 1998 a hitherto unknown early copy of alsufis star atlas, dated 519ah 1125 ce, was auctioned in london by sothebys.
Bekijk meer ideeen over verjaardag boek, heelal en sterren. The artwork closely mirrors what appeared in alsufis manuscript, the book of fixed stars. Constellation orion the hunter is a southern constellation sitting below constellation taurus and above constellation leups. Lupus was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2ndcentury astronomer ptolemy, and it remains one of the 88 modern constellations, although it was previously an asterism associated with the neighboring constellation centaurus. Orion illustrated in a copy of abd al rahman al sufi s book of fixed stars. Alsufi s book of the fixed stars, dating from around ad 964, is one of the most important medieval arabic treatises on astronomy. Abdalrahman al sufi december 7, 903 seds messier database. The words around the crabs indicate the cardinal directions of north, south, east, and west, with the. Bodleian library around 964, al sufi published his kitab suwar al kawakib more commonly referred to by its english. Al sufi published kitab al kawatib al thabit al musawwar also commonly known as the book of fixed stars in ad 964 and dedicated it to adud al dawla, the current ruler of buwayhid at the time. The constellations cetus and orion in the bodleian manuscript. Statue of ulugh beg and his students, registan square, samarqand, uzbekistan.
Alsufi published his famous book of fixed stars in 964, describing much of his work, both in textual descriptions and pictures. This appeared in or shortly after ad 964, some eight hundred years after the original almagest was written. Lupus is a constellation located in the deep southern sky. 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. Pdf abdulrahman alsufi and his book of the fixed stars. And while the noted greek astronomer ptolemy noted it as a haze, it was abd alrahman alsufi who first distinctly recorded in his kitab. This major work contains an extensive star catalog, which lists star coordinates and magnitude estimates, as well as detailed star charts. Pdf the book of the fixed stars was written by the persian astronomer. This major work contains an extensive star catalogue, which lists star coordinates and magnitude estimates, as well as detailed star. Was a friend and pupil of alsufi, ruled shiraz alsufi mentions him in his book alhussain mentions him in his poem.
The words around the crabs indicate the cardinal directions of. This major work contains detailed star charts and an extensive star. Abd alrahman alsufi 7 december 903 25 may 986, known as alsufi, was a persian astronomer. Abd al rahman al sufi, known in the west as azophi, was one of the two most outstanding practical astronomers of the middle ages. Orion, eridanus, lepus, canis major, canis minor, argo navis, hydra, crater. He mentions it as lying before the mouth of a big fish, an arabic constellation. Feb 10, 2020 abd alrahman alsufi and his book of the fixed stars.
In this version, orions shield has become a long sleeve, typical of islamic dress. Alsufi wrote his book of fixed stars in 964, in text 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 alsufi himself, and two drawings of each constellation, one as it is seen in the sky and one reversed right to left as it would appear on a celestial globe. 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. It spread widely from central asia, throughout the middle east, and to europe. Alsufis book of the fixed stars, dating from around ad 964, is one of the most. The book was written in arabic, although the author himself was persian. Alsufis book of the images of the fixed stars and its. Alsufis book of the images of the fixed stars and its influence on islamic and european celestial cartography robert h. Al sufi s treatise on star cartography, or uranography, was called the book of constellations of the fixed stars kitab suwar al kawakib al thabita and became a classic of islamic astronomy. Alsufis book of the images of the fixed stars and its influence on. 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. Like all books in the days before printing, the book of the fixed stars was. 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.