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Sphere Confusion: a Textual Reconstruction of Instruments and Observational Practice in First-Millennium CE China Daniel Patrick Morgan
Sphere confusion: a textual reconstruction of instruments and observational practice in first-millennium CE China Daniel Patrick Morgan To cite this version: Daniel Patrick Morgan. Sphere confusion: a textual reconstruction of instruments and observa- tional practice in first-millennium CE China . Centaurus, Wiley, 2016, 58 (1-2), pp.87-103. halshs- 01374805v3 HAL Id: halshs-01374805 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01374805v3 Submitted on 4 Oct 2016 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial - ShareAlike| 4.0 International License Centaurus, 58.1 (2016) Sphere Confusion: a Textual Reconstruction of Astronomical Instruments and Observational Practice in First-millennium CE China * Daniel Patrick MORGAN Abstract: This article examines the case of an observational and demonstration- al armillary sphere confused, one for the other, by fifth-century historians of astronomy He Chengtian and Shen Yue. Seventh-century historian Li Chunfeng dismisses them as ignorant, supplying the reader with additional evidence. Using their respective histories and what sources for the history of early imperial ar- millary instruments survive independent thereof, this article tries to explain the mix-up by exploring the ambiguities of ‘observation’ (guan) as it was mediated through terminology, text, materiality and mathematics. -
Earth-Centred Universe
Earth-centred Universe The fixed stars appear on the celestial sphere Earth rotates in one sidereal day The solar day is longer by about 4 minutes → scattered sunlight obscures the stars by day The constellations are historical → learn to recognise: Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia, Pegasus, Auriga, Gemini, Orion, Taurus Sun’s Motion in the Sky The Sun moves West to East against the background of Stars Stars Stars stars Us Us Us Sun Sun Sun z z z Start 1 sidereal day later 1 solar day later Compared to the stars, the Sun takes on average 3 min 56.5 sec extra to go round once The Sun does not travel quite at a constant speed, making the actual length of a solar day vary throughout the year Pleiades Stars near the Sun Sun Above the atmosphere: stars seen near the Sun by the SOHO probe Shield Sun in Taurus Image: Hyades http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.g ov//data/realtime/javagif/gifs/20 070525_0042_c3.gif Constellations Figures courtesy: K & K From The Beauty of the Heavens by C. F. Blunt (1842) The Celestial Sphere The celestial sphere rotates anti-clockwise looking north → Its fixed points are the north celestial pole and the south celestial pole All the stars on the celestial equator are above the Earth’s equator How high in the sky is the pole star? It is as high as your latitude on the Earth Motion of the Sky (animated ) Courtesy: K & K Pole Star above the Horizon To north celestial pole Zenith The latitude of Northern horizon Aberdeen is the angle at 57º the centre of the Earth A Earth shown in the diagram as 57° 57º Equator Centre The pole star is the same angle above the northern horizon as your latitude. -
Implementing Eratosthenes' Discovery in the Classroom: Educational
Implementing Eratosthenes’ Discovery in the Classroom: Educational Difficulties Needing Attention Nicolas Decamp, C. de Hosson To cite this version: Nicolas Decamp, C. de Hosson. Implementing Eratosthenes’ Discovery in the Classroom: Educational Difficulties Needing Attention. Science and Education, Springer Verlag, 2012, 21 (6), pp.911-920. 10.1007/s11191-010-9286-3. hal-01663445 HAL Id: hal-01663445 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01663445 Submitted on 18 Dec 2017 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Sci & Educ DOI 10.1007/s11191-010-9286-3 Implementing Eratosthenes’ Discovery in the Classroom: Educational Difficulties Needing Attention Nicolas De´camp • Ce´cile de Hosson Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010 Abstract This paper presents a critical analysis of the accepted educational use of the method performed by Eratosthenes to measure the circumference of Earth which is often considered as a relevant means of dealing with issues related to the nature of science and its history. This method relies on a number of assumptions among which the parallelism of sun rays. The assumption of sun rays parallelism (if it is accurate) does not appear spontaneous for students who consider sun rays to be divergent. -
Planetary Diagrams — Descriptions, Models, Theories: from Carolingian Deployments to Copernican Debates
Planetary Diagrams — Descriptions, Models, Theories: from Carolingian Deployments to Copernican Debates Bruce Eastwood and Gerd Graßhoff Contents 1 Introduction . 1 2 The Beginnings in Carolingian Europe . 1 2.1 Astronomy and Computus before 800 . 1 2.2 Schools and Texts . 3 2.3 Diagrams and the Study of Texts . 7 2.4 Dynamics of Diagrams: Calcidius and Pliny . 7 2.5 Dynamics of Diagrams: Martianus Capella . 21 3 Qualitative Theory in the High and Later Middle Ages . 29 3.1 Dynamics of Diagrams: Construction of a Planetary The- ory............................ 29 3.2 The Capellan Tradition through the Fifteenth Century . 32 4 Merging Two Traditions: The Sixteenth Century . 37 1 INTRODUCTION Through three distinct periods from ca. 800 to ca. 1600 we find that European as- tronomers were concerned with questions about the planets that involved the dis- cussion and invention of models without quantitative expression. This qualitative tradition was first developed in the ninth century in the course of studying ancient Latin texts on cosmology and astronomy. The diagrams, used to represent different phenomena and aspects of planetary motion, continued as long as they were found useful for teaching, for exposing questions, or for proposing theoretical positions. The history of this tradition of planetary diagrams indicates a constant concern for qualitative theory and the co-existence of both qualitative and quantitative plane- tary theory after the introduction of the Greco-Arabic mathematical tradition of planetary astronomy in twelfth-century Europe. In the sixteenth century the same qualitative tradition continued as a source for approaches to new phenomena and problems. 2 THE BEGINNINGS IN CAROLINGIAN EUROPE 2.1 ASTRONOMY AND COMPUTUS BEFORE 800 From the sixth century to the twelfth century in Western Europe there was no direct influence of Greek works in the exact sciences. -
Abd Al-Rahman Al-Sufi and His Book of the Fixed Stars: a Journey of Re-Discovery
ResearchOnline@JCU This file is part of the following reference: Hafez, Ihsan (2010) Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi and his book of the fixed stars: a journey of re-discovery. PhD thesis, James Cook University. Access to this file is available from: http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/28854/ The author has certified to JCU that they have made a reasonable effort to gain permission and acknowledge the owner of any third party copyright material included in this document. If you believe that this is not the case, please contact [email protected] and quote http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/28854/ 5.1 Extant Manuscripts of al-Ṣūfī’s Book Al-Ṣūfī’s ‘Book of the Fixed Stars’ dating from around A.D. 964, is one of the most important medieval Arabic treatises on astronomy. This major work contains an extensive star catalogue, which lists star co-ordinates and magnitude estimates, as well as detailed star charts. Other topics include descriptions of nebulae and Arabic folk astronomy. As I mentioned before, al-Ṣūfī’s work was first translated into Persian by al-Ṭūsī. It was also translated into Spanish in the 13th century during the reign of King Alfonso X. The introductory chapter of al-Ṣūfī’s work was first translated into French by J.J.A. Caussin de Parceval in 1831. However in 1874 it was entirely translated into French again by Hans Karl Frederik Schjellerup, whose work became the main reference used by most modern astronomical historians. In 1956 al-Ṣūfī’s Book of the fixed stars was printed in its original Arabic language in Hyderabad (India) by Dārat al-Ma‘aref al-‘Uthmānīa. -
The Baader Planetarium
1 THE BAADER PLANETARIUM INSTRUCTION MANUAL BAADER PLANETARIUM Zur Sternwarte M 82291 Mammendorf M Tel. 08145/8802 M Fax 08145/8805 www.baader-planetarium.de M [email protected] M www.celestron-deutschland.de 2 HINTS/TECHNICAL 1. YOUR PLANETARIUM OPERATES BY A DC MINIATUR MOTOR. IT'S LIFETIME IS THEREFORE LIMITED. PLEASE HAVE THE MOTOR USUALLY RUN IN THE SLOWEST SPEED POSSIBLE. FOR EXHIBITIONS OR PERMANENT DISPLAY A TIME LIMIT SWITCH IS A MUST. 2. DON'T HAVE THE SUNBULB WORKING IN THE HIGHEST STEP CONTINUOUSLY. THIS STEP IS FORSEEN ONLY FOR PROJECTING THE HEAVENS IF THE PLASTIC SUNCAP IS REMOVED. 3. CLOSE THE SPHERE AT ANY TIME POSSIBLE. HINTS/THEORETICAL 1. ESPECIALLY GIVE ATTENTION TO PAGE 5-3.F OF THE MANUAL. 2. CLOSE THE SPHERE SO THAT THE ORBIT LINES OF THE PLANETS INSIDE FIT CORRECTLY PAGE 6-5.A. 3. USUALLY DEMONSTRATE BY KEEPING THE EARTH'S ORBIT HORIZONTAL. 4. A SPECIAL EXPLANTATION FOR THE SEASONS IS POSSIBLE IF YOU TURN THE SPHERE TO A HORIZONTAL CELESTIAL EQUATOR. NOW THE EARTH MOVES UP AND DOWN ON ITS WAY AROUND THE SUN. MENTION THE APPEARING LIGHTPHASES. 5. REMEMBER THE GREATEST FINDING OF COPERNICUS: THE DISTANCE EARTH - SUN IS NEARLY ZERO COMPARED TO THE DISTANCE OF THE FIXED STARS. IN REALITY THE WHOLE SOLAR SYSTEM IN THE CELESTIAL SPHERE WOULD BE A PINPOINT IN THE CENTER. THIS HELPS TO UNDERSTAND THE MINUTE STELLAR PARALLAXE AND THE "FIXED" POSITION OF THE STARS COMPARED TO THE SUN'S CHANGING HEIGHT OVER THE HORIZON DURING THE YEAR. 3 INTRODUCTION For countless centuries the stars have been objects of mystery. -
The Geography of Ptolemy Elucidated
The Grography of Ptolemy The geography of Ptolemy elucidated Thomas Glazebrook Rylands 1893 • A brief outline of the rise and progress of geographical inquiry prior to the time of Ptolemy. §1.—Introductory. IN tracing the early progress of Geography it is necessary to remember that, like all other sciences, it arose from “ small beginnings.” When men began to move from place to place they naturally desired to tell the tale of their wanderings, both for their own satisfaction and for the information of others. Such accounts have now perished, but their results remain in the earliest records extant ; hence, it is impossible to begin an investigation into the history of Geography at the true fountain-head, though it is in some instances possible to guess the nature of the source from the character of the resultant stream. A further difficulty lies in the question as to where the science of Geography begins. A Greek would probably have answered when some discoverer first invented a method for map- ping out the distance between certain places, which distance conversely could be ascertained directly from the map. In accordance with modern method, the science of Geography might be said to begin when the subject ceased to be dealt with mythically or dogmatically ; when facts were collected and reduced to laws, while these laws again, or their prior facts, were connected with other laws—in the case of Geography with those of Mathematics and Astro- nomy. Perhaps it would be better to follow the latter principle of division, and consequently the history of Geography may be divided into two main stages—“ Pre-Scientific” and Scientific Geography—though strictly speaking, the name of Geography should be applied to the latter alone. -
The Magic of the Atwood Sphere
The magic of the Atwood Sphere Exactly a century ago, on June Dr. Jean-Michel Faidit 5, 1913, a “celestial sphere demon- Astronomical Society of France stration” by Professor Wallace W. Montpellier, France Atwood thrilled the populace of [email protected] Chicago. This machine, built to ac- commodate a dozen spectators, took up a concept popular in the eigh- teenth century: that of turning stel- lariums. The impact was consider- able. It sparked the genesis of modern planetariums, leading 10 years lat- er to an invention by Bauersfeld, engineer of the Zeiss Company, the Deutsche Museum in Munich. Since ancient times, mankind has sought to represent the sky and the stars. Two trends emerged. First, stars and constellations were easy, especially drawn on maps or globes. This was the case, for example, in Egypt with the Zodiac of Dendera or in the Greco-Ro- man world with the statue of Atlas support- ing the sky, like that of the Farnese Atlas at the National Archaeological Museum of Na- ples. But things were more complicated when it came to include the sun, moon, planets, and their apparent motions. Ingenious mecha- nisms were developed early as the Antiky- thera mechanism, found at the bottom of the Aegean Sea in 1900 and currently an exhibi- tion until July at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris. During two millennia, the human mind and ingenuity worked constantly develop- ing and combining these two approaches us- ing a variety of media: astrolabes, quadrants, armillary spheres, astronomical clocks, co- pernican orreries and celestial globes, cul- minating with the famous Coronelli globes offered to Louis XIV. -
Thinking Outside the Sphere Views of the Stars from Aristotle to Herschel Thinking Outside the Sphere
Thinking Outside the Sphere Views of the Stars from Aristotle to Herschel Thinking Outside the Sphere A Constellation of Rare Books from the History of Science Collection The exhibition was made possible by generous support from Mr. & Mrs. James B. Hebenstreit and Mrs. Lathrop M. Gates. CATALOG OF THE EXHIBITION Linda Hall Library Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering and Technology Cynthia J. Rogers, Curator 5109 Cherry Street Kansas City MO 64110 1 Thinking Outside the Sphere is held in copyright by the Linda Hall Library, 2010, and any reproduction of text or images requires permission. The Linda Hall Library is an independently funded library devoted to science, engineering and technology which is used extensively by The exhibition opened at the Linda Hall Library April 22 and closed companies, academic institutions and individuals throughout the world. September 18, 2010. The Library was established by the wills of Herbert and Linda Hall and opened in 1946. It is located on a 14 acre arboretum in Kansas City, Missouri, the site of the former home of Herbert and Linda Hall. Sources of images on preliminary pages: Page 1, cover left: Peter Apian. Cosmographia, 1550. We invite you to visit the Library or our website at www.lindahlll.org. Page 1, right: Camille Flammarion. L'atmosphère météorologie populaire, 1888. Page 3, Table of contents: Leonhard Euler. Theoria motuum planetarum et cometarum, 1744. 2 Table of Contents Introduction Section1 The Ancient Universe Section2 The Enduring Earth-Centered System Section3 The Sun Takes -
Models for Earth and Maps
Earth Models and Maps James R. Clynch, Naval Postgraduate School, 2002 I. Earth Models Maps are just a model of the world, or a small part of it. This is true if the model is a globe of the entire world, a paper chart of a harbor or a digital database of streets in San Francisco. A model of the earth is needed to convert measurements made on the curved earth to maps or databases. Each model has advantages and disadvantages. Each is usually in error at some level of accuracy. Some of these error are due to the nature of the model, not the measurements used to make the model. Three are three common models of the earth, the spherical (or globe) model, the ellipsoidal model, and the real earth model. The spherical model is the form encountered in elementary discussions. It is quite good for some approximations. The world is approximately a sphere. The sphere is the shape that minimizes the potential energy of the gravitational attraction of all the little mass elements for each other. The direction of gravity is toward the center of the earth. This is how we define down. It is the direction that a string takes when a weight is at one end - that is a plumb bob. A spirit level will define the horizontal which is perpendicular to up-down. The ellipsoidal model is a better representation of the earth because the earth rotates. This generates other forces on the mass elements and distorts the shape. The minimum energy form is now an ellipse rotated about the polar axis. -
The Sundial Cities
The Sundial Cities Joel Van Cranenbroeck, Belgium Keywords: Engineering survey;Implementation of plans;Positioning;Spatial planning;Urban renewal; SUMMARY When observing in our modern cities the sun shade gliding along the large surfaces of buildings and towers, an observer can notice that after all the local time could be deduced from the position of the sun. The highest building in the world - the Burj Dubai - is de facto the largest sundial ever designed. The principles of sundials can be understood most easily from an ancient model of the Sun's motion. Science has established that the Earth rotates on its axis, and revolves in an elliptic orbit about the Sun; however, meticulous astronomical observations and physics experiments were required to establish this. For navigational and sundial purposes, it is an excellent approximation to assume that the Sun revolves around a stationary Earth on the celestial sphere, which rotates every 23 hours and 56 minutes about its celestial axis, the line connecting the celestial poles. Since the celestial axis is aligned with the axis about which the Earth rotates, its angle with the local horizontal equals the local geographical latitude. Unlike the fixed stars, the Sun changes its position on the celestial sphere, being at positive declination in summer, at negative declination in winter, and having exactly zero declination (i.e., being on the celestial equator) at the equinoxes. The path of the Sun on the celestial sphere is known as the ecliptic, which passes through the twelve constellations of the zodiac in the course of a year. This model of the Sun's motion helps to understand the principles of sundials. -
Our Place in the Universe Sun Kwok
Our Place in the Universe Sun Kwok Our Place in the Universe Understanding Fundamental Astronomy from Ancient Discoveries Second Edition Sun Kwok Faculty of Science The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China This book is a second edition of the book “Our Place in the Universe” previously published by the author as a Kindle book under amazon.com. ISBN 978-3-319-54171-6 ISBN 978-3-319-54172-3 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-54172-3 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017937904 © Springer International Publishing AG 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made.