muslim contributions in astronomy

Astronomy

Al-Quran:

By Moon, Muslimsdetermined a lunar calendar

By Sun , MuslimsCalculate times for Prayer

Abbasid Caliphate (750 - 1258)

Caliph Harūn (763-809)

Astronomy started among the Muslims during this period

The Darul Hikima (House of Wisdom) founded by Mamun-ur-Rashid in Baghdad housed some of the

most eminent scholars of Astronomy

Caliph Mamun ar Rashid (786-833 A.D) House of wisdom Baghdad (8th Century)

The Arabs were the first to build observatoriesDuring the reign of Mamun

Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi(Persia 780 –850A.D)

Statue in Tehran

• Mathematician

• Astronomer

• Geographer

Khwarizmi successfully determined the size & circumference earth

Used for computational purposes

Eliminates the need for calculations in measurements

Khwarizimi invented Quadrant

Used for accurate timekeeping by

the Sun and Stars, and could be

observed from any latitude

Sine Quadrant

Sine Quadrant was invented by Khwarizimi

Ibrahim al-Fazari (b. 796) was the first Muslim in 8th century A.D to construct an “Astrolabe”

Al Battani (born in Turkey in 858– died in 929 A.D)

accurately determined the solar year as being 365 days, 5 hours, 46 minutes and 24 seconds

Abul Hasan Mesudi ( b. 896, Baghdad, d. 956, Cairo, Egypt )

AL-Mesudi invented Telescope

Abul Wafa ( 939 - 998 khorasan )

Introduced the use of the secant as well as the tangent into astronomical observations

SecantAbu Wafa (Khorasan)

Tangent

Al-Biruni (973 -1048 A.D Ghazni)

First to conduct experiment related to astronomy

He established the fact by experimentation that that everything attracts toward the center of the earth

Al Biruni famous diagram

showing different phases of moon indicates the moon revolving around earth and the earth revolving around the sun

Abu Rayhan al-Biruni

He invented Planisphere• The earliest star chart • An early analog

computer• “Qanun-i-Masoodi”

discusses Planisphere

.

fixed-wired knowledge processing machine

Al-Biruni’smechanical lunar solar calendar computer

Astronomer

Mathematician

Abu Ishaq Ibrahim al-Zarqali (Andalus,1029 – 1087)

AL-Zarqali invented The Equatorium

A mechanical device for

finding the longitudes and

positions of the Moon,

Sun, and planets without

calculation using a

geometrical model

The Equatorium

Al-Zarqali constructed

an improved type of

Astrolabe (a saJilza)

Nizamul Mulk Tusi (vazir of Malik Shah Saljuqi)

In 1074-75 A.D established an observatory at Rayy or Neshapur

Al-Tusi made the most significant work in developing the model of planetary system of his time.

He wrote a major astronomical treatise called, Al-Tadhkira Fi 'Ilm Al-Hay'a

Al Tusi made an observatory under the guidance of Omar Khayyam where astronomical observations were made

Omer Khayyam(1048—1123, Iran)

Calendar : Al-Tarikh Jalali.

Ibn al-Razaz al-Jazari (1136 – 1206)

Mathematician

Mechanical Engineer

Astronomer

Al-Jazari invented the largest astronomical clock, "castle clock", which is considered to be the firstprogrammable analog computer

Features

• Displayed the zodiac and the solar and

lunar orbits

• Another innovative feature of the clock

was a pointer which traveled across the

top of a gateway and caused automatic

doors to open every hour

Ulugh Beg (1394 - 1449)

Founder of a largeIslamic observatory inSamarqand, honored onthis Soviet stamp

observatory in Samarqand (1428-1429)

Invented “plate of conjuntions”

Ibn Masud al-Kashi (1380 -1429 Iran)

Planetary conjunction

Conjunction means two celestial

bodies appear near one another

in the sky

Ibn al-Shatir invented the astrolabe clock in 14th century Syria.