16 Questions
What is the primary language in which The Book of Fixed Stars was written?
Arabic
In which city was The Book of Fixed Stars written?
Shiraz
For whom was The Book of Fixed Stars written?
Buyid emir ‘Adud al-Dawla
What was the purpose of The Book of Fixed Stars?
To create a synthesis of star catalogues in Ptolemy’s Almagest with Arabic astronomical traditions
What happened to the original manuscript of The Book of Fixed Stars?
It no longer survives as an autograph
Who was the author of The Book of Fixed Stars?
Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi (Azophi)
What was the main purpose of the Book of Fixed Stars?
To serve a broader educational purpose
What sources did medieval Islamic astronomers draw from to learn methods for calculating the position of heavenly bodies?
Sanskrit and Middle Persian sources
Why did the interest in cataloging the stars arise in Islam?
To determine the correct times for prayer and fasting
What trend does the Book of Fixed Stars follow in terms of manuscript production?
It is one of the oldest surviving treatises of its kind
What facilitated the increase in illustrated manuscript production in the Islamic world?
The advent of paper in the Islamic world
What is representative of the concerns of Islamic scholars during the late-9th to 11th centuries?
"Analyzing, criticizing, and perfecting the geometrical models of Ptolemy"
What is significant about al-Sufi in relation to the Book of Fixed Stars?
He was an observational astronomer
What is one reason for the interest in cataloging the stars?
"To locate Mecca so that they may pray in the right direction"
What were some sources that Islamic astronomers concentrated on when analyzing geometric models?
"Translation of Hellenistic texts from Greek to Arabic"
Which movement contributed to observational and theoretical astronomy during the late-9th to 11th centuries?
Translation movement
Explore the astronomical text 'The Book of Fixed Stars' written by Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi in the 10th century. Learn about the synthesis of Ptolemy's Almagest and the comprehensive star catalogue, and the impact of Arabic language on scholarly works in Islamic territories.
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