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The Dunhuang Chinese Sky: a Comprehensive Study of the Oldest Known Star Atlas
25/02/09JAHH/v4 1 THE DUNHUANG CHINESE SKY: A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE OLDEST KNOWN STAR ATLAS JEAN-MARC BONNET-BIDAUD Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique ,Centre de Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France E-mail: [email protected] FRANÇOISE PRADERIE Observatoire de Paris, 61 Avenue de l’Observatoire, F- 75014 Paris, France E-mail: [email protected] and SUSAN WHITFIELD The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB, UK E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of the star atlas included in the medieval Chinese manuscript (Or.8210/S.3326), discovered in 1907 by the archaeologist Aurel Stein at the Silk Road town of Dunhuang and now held in the British Library. Although partially studied by a few Chinese scholars, it has never been fully displayed and discussed in the Western world. This set of sky maps (12 hour angle maps in quasi-cylindrical projection and a circumpolar map in azimuthal projection), displaying the full sky visible from the Northern hemisphere, is up to now the oldest complete preserved star atlas from any civilisation. It is also the first known pictorial representation of the quasi-totality of the Chinese constellations. This paper describes the history of the physical object – a roll of thin paper drawn with ink. We analyse the stellar content of each map (1339 stars, 257 asterisms) and the texts associated with the maps. We establish the precision with which the maps are drawn (1.5 to 4° for the brightest stars) and examine the type of projections used. -
Summer Constellations
Night Sky 101: Summer Constellations The Summer Triangle Photo Credit: Smoky Mountain Astronomical Society The Summer Triangle is made up of three bright stars—Altair, in the constellation Aquila (the eagle), Deneb in Cygnus (the swan), and Vega Lyra (the lyre, or harp). Also called “The Northern Cross” or “The Backbone of the Milky Way,” Cygnus is a horizontal cross of five bright stars. In very dark skies, Cygnus helps viewers find the Milky Way. Albireo, the last star in Cygnus’s tail, is actually made up of two stars (a binary star). The separate stars can be seen with a 30 power telescope. The Ring Nebula, part of the constellation Lyra, can also be seen with this magnification. In Japanese mythology, Vega, the celestial princess and goddess, fell in love Altair. Her father did not approve of Altair, since he was a mortal. They were forbidden from seeing each other. The two lovers were placed in the sky, where they were separated by the Celestial River, repre- sented by the Milky Way. According to the legend, once a year, a bridge of magpies form, rep- resented by Cygnus, to reunite the lovers. Photo credit: Unknown Scorpius Also called Scorpio, Scorpius is one of the 12 Zodiac constellations, which are used in reading horoscopes. Scorpius represents those born during October 23 to November 21. Scorpio is easy to spot in the summer sky. It is made up of a long string bright stars, which are visible in most lights, especially Antares, because of its distinctly red color. Antares is about 850 times bigger than our sun and is a red giant. -
Constellations with Prominent Stars That Can Be Found Near the Meridian at 10 Pm on January 15
ONSTELLATIONS C Altitude Ruler The rotation of the Earth on its axis causes the stars to rise and set each evening. In addition, the orbit of the Earth around the Sun places different regions of the sky in our Horizon night-time view. The PLANISPHERE is an extremely useful tool for finding stars and 10 constellation in the sky, depicting not only what is currently in the sky but it also allows the 20 prediction of the rising and setting times of various celestial objects. 30 THE LAYOUT OF THE PLANISPHERE 40 50 The outer circumference of the dark blue circular disk (which is called the star wheel) you’ll notice that the wheel is divided into the 12 months, and that each month is divided into 60 individual dates. The star wheel rotates about the brass fastener, which represents the 70 North Celestial Pole. The frame of the planisphere has times along the outer edge. 80 Holding the planisphere on the southern corner you'll see "midnight" at the top. Moving Zenith counterclockwise, notice how the hours progress, through 1 AM, 2 AM, and so on through "noon" at the bottom. The hours then proceed through the afternoon and evening (1 PM, 2 PM, etc.) back toward midnight. Once you have the wheel set properly for the correct time and day, the displayed part represents what you see if you stand with the star and planet locator held directly over your head with the brass fastener toward the north. (Notice that the compass directions are also written on the corners of the frame.) Of course, you don't have to actually stand that way to make use of the Star and Planet Locator--this is just a description to help you understand what is displayed. -
Naming the Extrasolar Planets
Naming the extrasolar planets W. Lyra Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, K¨onigstuhl 17, 69177, Heidelberg, Germany [email protected] Abstract and OGLE-TR-182 b, which does not help educators convey the message that these planets are quite similar to Jupiter. Extrasolar planets are not named and are referred to only In stark contrast, the sentence“planet Apollo is a gas giant by their assigned scientific designation. The reason given like Jupiter” is heavily - yet invisibly - coated with Coper- by the IAU to not name the planets is that it is consid- nicanism. ered impractical as planets are expected to be common. I One reason given by the IAU for not considering naming advance some reasons as to why this logic is flawed, and sug- the extrasolar planets is that it is a task deemed impractical. gest names for the 403 extrasolar planet candidates known One source is quoted as having said “if planets are found to as of Oct 2009. The names follow a scheme of association occur very frequently in the Universe, a system of individual with the constellation that the host star pertains to, and names for planets might well rapidly be found equally im- therefore are mostly drawn from Roman-Greek mythology. practicable as it is for stars, as planet discoveries progress.” Other mythologies may also be used given that a suitable 1. This leads to a second argument. It is indeed impractical association is established. to name all stars. But some stars are named nonetheless. In fact, all other classes of astronomical bodies are named. -
IBAK Sewer and Manhole Inspection Systems
IBAK Sewer and Manhole Inspection Systems Table of contents Hindsight – Insight – Foresight ..................................... 4 Cable drums and cable winches IBAK Sewer and Manhole Inspection Systems ............ 6 Extension Kit ............................................................... 44 IBAK KT 180 ............................................................... 46 Cameras IBAK KW 180 .............................................................. 48 IBAK HYDRUS .............................................................. 8 IBAK KW 305/310/505 ................................................ 50 IBAK NANO / NANO L ................................................. 10 IBAK KW LISY Synchron ............................................ 52 IBAK JUNO ................................................................. 12 IBAK POLARIS ............................................................ 14 Compact push system IBAK ORION .............................................................. 16 IBAK HSP .................................................................... 54 IBAK ORION L ............................................................ 18 IBAK MiniLite .............................................................. 56 IBAK ORPHEUS 2 ...................................................... 20 IBAK ORPHEUS 2 HD ................................................ 22 Control units/systems IBAK ARGUS 5 ........................................................... 24 IBAK BK 3.5 ............................................................... -
Educator's Guide: Orion
Legends of the Night Sky Orion Educator’s Guide Grades K - 8 Written By: Dr. Phil Wymer, Ph.D. & Art Klinger Legends of the Night Sky: Orion Educator’s Guide Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………....3 Constellations; General Overview……………………………………..4 Orion…………………………………………………………………………..22 Scorpius……………………………………………………………………….36 Canis Major…………………………………………………………………..45 Canis Minor…………………………………………………………………..52 Lesson Plans………………………………………………………………….56 Coloring Book…………………………………………………………………….….57 Hand Angles……………………………………………………………………….…64 Constellation Research..…………………………………………………….……71 When and Where to View Orion…………………………………….……..…77 Angles For Locating Orion..…………………………………………...……….78 Overhead Projector Punch Out of Orion……………………………………82 Where on Earth is: Thrace, Lemnos, and Crete?.............................83 Appendix………………………………………………………………………86 Copyright©2003, Audio Visual Imagineering, Inc. 2 Legends of the Night Sky: Orion Educator’s Guide Introduction It is our belief that “Legends of the Night sky: Orion” is the best multi-grade (K – 8), multi-disciplinary education package on the market today. It consists of a humorous 24-minute show and educator’s package. The Orion Educator’s Guide is designed for Planetarians, Teachers, and parents. The information is researched, organized, and laid out so that the educator need not spend hours coming up with lesson plans or labs. This has already been accomplished by certified educators. The guide is written to alleviate the fear of space and the night sky (that many elementary and middle school teachers have) when it comes to that section of the science lesson plan. It is an excellent tool that allows the parents to be a part of the learning experience. The guide is devised in such a way that there are plenty of visuals to assist the educator and student in finding the Winter constellations. -
Classical Images – Greek Pegasus
Classical images – Greek Pegasus Red-figure kylix crater Attic Red-figure kylix Triptolemus Painter, c. 460 BC attr Skythes, c. 510 BC Edinburgh, National Museums of Scotland Boston, MFA (source: theoi.com) Faliscan black pottery kylix Athena with Pegasus on shield Black-figure water jar (Perseus on neck, Pegasus with Etrurian, attr. the Sokran Group, c. 350 BC Athenian black-figure amphora necklace of bullae (studs) and wings on feet, Centaur) London, The British Museum (1842.0407) attr. Kleophrades pntr., 5th C BC From Vulci, attr. Micali painter, c. 510-500 BC 1 New York, Metropolitan Museum of ART (07.286.79) London, The British Museum (1836.0224.159) Classical images – Greek Pegasus Pegasus Pegasus Attic, red-figure plate, c. 420 BC Source: Wikimedia (Rome, Palazzo Massimo exh) 2 Classical images – Greek Pegasus Pegasus London, The British Museum Virginia, Museum of Fine Arts exh (The Horse in Art) Pegasus Red-figure oinochoe Apulian, c. 320-10 BC 3 Boston, MFA Classical images – Greek Pegasus Silver coin (Pegasus and Athena) Silver coin (Pegasus and Lion/Bull combat) Corinth, c. 415-387 BC Lycia, c. 500-460 BC London, The British Museum (Ac RPK.p6B.30 Cor) London, The British Museum (Ac 1979.0101.697) Silver coin (Pegasus protome and Warrior (Nergal?)) Silver coin (Arethusa and Pegasus Levantine, 5th-4th C BC Graeco-Iberian, after 241 BC London, The British Museum (Ac 1983, 0533.1) London, The British Museum (Ac. 1987.0649.434) 4 Classical images – Greek (winged horses) Pegasus Helios (Sol-Apollo) in his chariot Eos in her chariot Attic kalyx-krater, c. -
Guidepost Constellations Map The
ConstellationsTitleTitle here here The Horizon Globe SE comes with 16 of the most important constellations.* Equipment needed: We call four of them Guideposts. These four are easy to find, and constellations they will point you to all the rest of the constellations. Any time you see stars, you will be able to find at least one of the Guidepost constellations. Orion ORION - Guidepost #1 Very bright and easy to find. Dipp ig e B r BIG DIPPER - Guidepost #2 Tied with Orion for being easy to find. siop as ei C a CASSIOPEIA - Guidepost #3 Almost as easy to find as the Big Dipper, and in a great spot. gn Cy us CYGNUS - Guidepost #4 Part of the Summer Triangle, and very distinctive. If Cygnus is out you will be able to find it. The other 12 constellations included with your Horizon Globe are significant for a different reason; they helped ancient astronomers tell the time of year and time of night before clocks were invented. You probably know the names of these special constellations, they are the signs of the Zodiac. The Zodiac comprises Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. These twelve constellations all fit on the ecliptic. Coincidence? In the next chapter we’ll get started by looking at one very important constellation. The first Guidepost, Orion, will help you find and remember the rest of the constellations. * The Big Dipper is technically an asterism, not a constellation. A constellation is one of 88 star groupings that have a definite names. -
The Pseudoscience of Anti-Anti-Ufology
SI Sept/Oct 2009 pgs 7/29/09 11:24 AM Page 28 PSYCHIC VIBRATIONS ROBERT SHEAFFER The Pseudoscience of Anti-Anti-UFOlogy Many readers are surely familiar with is more their style. Deception is the practiced prestidigitation can never be author and pro-UFO lecturer Stanton T. name of the game.” trusted in anything. He criticizes Friedman, who calls himself the “Flying Friedman goes on to name names: Nickell for raising “the baseless Project Saucer physicist” because he actually did He critiques Joe Nickell’s article “Return Mogul explanation” for Roswell, which work in physics about fifty years ago (al- cannot be correct, says Friedman, though not since). Well, Stanton is upset because it does not match the claims by the skeptical writings contained in made in later years by alleged Roswell SI’s special issue on UFOs (January- witnesses (although it does match quite /February 2009) and elsewhere. He has well the account of Mac Brazel, the orig- written two papers thus far denouncing inal witness, given in 1947). us, and it is the subject of his Keynote He moves on to my critique of the Address at the MUFON Conference in Betty and Barney Hill case, where I note August. the resemblance of their “hypnosis UFO In February, Friedman wrote an arti- testimony” to Betty Hill’s post-incident cle, “Debunkers at it Again,” reviewing dreams. I wrote, “Barney had heard her our UFO special issue (www.theufo repeat [them] many times,” which he chronicles.com/2009/02/debunkers-at- claims is “nonsense.” According to it-again.html). -
A Collection of Curricula for the STARLAB Greek Mythology Cylinder
A Collection of Curricula for the STARLAB Greek Mythology Cylinder Including: A Look at the Greek Mythology Cylinder Three Activities: Constellation Creations, Create a Myth, I'm Getting Dizzy by Gary D. Kratzer ©2008 by Science First/STARLAB, 95 Botsford Place, Buffalo, NY 14216. www.starlab.com. All rights reserved. Curriculum Guide Contents A Look at the Greek Mythology Cylinder ...................3 Leo, the Lion .....................................................9 Introduction ......................................................3 Lepus, the Hare .................................................9 Andromeda ......................................................3 Libra, the Scales ................................................9 Aquarius ..........................................................3 Lyra, the Lyre ...................................................10 Aquila, the Eagle ..............................................3 Ophuichus, Serpent Holder ..............................10 Aries, the Ram ..................................................3 Orion, the Hunter ............................................10 Auriga .............................................................4 Pegasus, the Winged Horse..............................11 Bootes ..............................................................4 Perseus, the Champion .....................................11 Cancer, the Crab ..............................................4 Phoenix ..........................................................11 Canis Major, the Big Dog -
Sydney Observatory Night Sky Map September 2012 a Map for Each Month of the Year, to Help You Learn About the Night Sky
Sydney Observatory night sky map September 2012 A map for each month of the year, to help you learn about the night sky www.sydneyobservatory.com This star chart shows the stars and constellations visible in the night sky for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth for September 2012 at about 7:30 pm (local standard time). For Darwin and similar locations the chart will still apply, but some stars will be lost off the southern edge while extra stars will be visible to the north. Stars down to a brightness or magnitude limit of 4.5 are shown. To use this chart, rotate it so that the direction you are facing (north, south, east or west) is shown at the bottom. The centre of the chart represents the point directly above your head, called the zenith, and the outer circular edge represents the horizon. h t r No Star brightness Moon phase Last quarter: 08th Zero or brighter New Moon: 16th 1st magnitude LACERTA nd Deneb First quarter: 23rd 2 CYGNUS Full Moon: 30th rd N 3 E LYRA th Vega W 4 LYRA N CORONA BOREALIS HERCULES BOOTES VULPECULA SAGITTA PEGASUS DELPHINUS Arcturus Altair EQUULEUS SERPENS AQUILA OPHIUCHUS SCUTUM PISCES Moon on 23rd SERPENS Zubeneschamali AQUARIUS CAPRICORNUS E SAGITTARIUS LIBRA a Saturn Centre of the Galaxy Antares Zubenelgenubi t s Antares VIRGO s t SAGITTARIUS P SCORPIUS P e PISCESMICROSCOPIUM AUSTRINUS SCORPIUS Mars Spica W PISCIS AUSTRINUS CORONA AUSTRALIS Fomalhaut Centre of the Galaxy TELESCOPIUM LUPUS ARA GRUSGRUS INDUS NORMA CORVUS INDUS CETUS SCULPTOR PAVO CIRCINUS CENTAURUS TRIANGULUM -
Asterisms More Asterisms Lyra—Another Real Constellation
A Constellation is… Asterisms …a region of the z These are familiar sky, within official shapes but not official borders set in 1928 constellations by the IAU. • Often recognizable by a pattern or The summer triangle grouping of stars. • Some patterns, like the Winter Triangle, span several constellations. © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Addison-Wesley Addison-Wesley Cygnus More asterisms “a real constellation” z The big dipper z Actually part of Ursa Major Image from: z The Big Bear http://www.physics.csbsju.edu/astro/constellations/ursa_major_l.html z Or Big Raccoon? © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Addison-Wesley Addison-Wesley Lyra—another real constellation Prominent Constellations -Sagittarius. © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Addison-Wesley Addison-Wesley 1 Scorpius Orion z Betelguese z Orion Nebula © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Addison-Wesley Addison-Wesley z Betelguese Not what it appears! Orion Nebula Radius of Earths orbit about sun! Planetary systems forming © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as within! Addison-Wesley Addison-Wesley The view from here: The Celestial Sphere Celestial Astrononomy z The sky above looks like z Even though we know the Earth goes a dome…a hemisphere.. around the sun and not vice versa.. z If we imagine the sky z Don’t we? around the entire Earth, z 1/5 adults in USA don’t! we have the celestial sphere. z Its useful to think about a sphere of celestial objects surrounding the Earth z This a 2-dimensional representation of the sky z The signs of the zodiac are the constelltions that are along the sun’s Because it represents path—the ecliptic! our view from Earth, we place the Earth in the © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as © 2004 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Addison-Wesley Addison-Wesleycenter of this sphere.