Astronomical Instruments of Tycho Brahe and Taqi al-Din
Sextant (mushabbaha bi'l-manâtiq) of Taqî al-Din
He "was a brilliant astronomer and scientist of his time, and has had a big significance on the development of astronomy, science in general, and our view of the world". Yet the Danish Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), who built two observatories with one being among the largest of his time, has been influenced by and built upon the achievements of two observatories from the Muslim world: the observatory of Ulugh Beg at Samarkand (built 1420-1437) and the Istanbul Observatory in the Ottoman Empire (completed in 1577 but destroyed in 1580). The latter was built by the Ottoman Empire's head astronomer, Taqi al-Din Mohammed ibn Ma'ruf.
The rest of this short article will focus on Taqi al-Din's observatory and compare his professional achievements to that of Tycho Brahe thus illustrating the similarities between the instruments they used which were vital for the development of astronomy.
Four hundred years ago, the Istanbul Observatory was founded by Taqî al-din al-Râsid at Tophane, on the European side of the Bosporus, under the sponsorship of Sultan Murad III (1574-1595).An unknown author gives the following information about the plan of its construction in Istanbul,
"Thus during the glorious days of our Great King (Murad III) with the help of the Grand-vizier (Soqullu Muhammad Pasha) the foundation of a new observatory was being organised…….."
"While he (Sa'd al-din) was making the necessary arrangements [when] suddenly our Master Taqî al-din, who was the greatest scientist on earth, came to Istanbul to enter the felicitous Court of the King. When he was presented to the Emperor and received by him, was promoted and decorated with a large fief, because he was truly cognizant of sciences. Also the necessary expenses for his work were given from the Imperial treasury. In order to start the work with the help of God, [a] European Castle (Frenk Sarayi) above the great and prosperous buildings of Tophane in Istanbul, may God increase its beautiful buildings, was assigned and the activities were started. To put in verse the quality of the necessary instruments in the Imperial poetry firstly this text depending the statements of Taqî al-din, is composed and named Alât al Rasâdiya li Zîj-i Shâhin-shâhîya."
It is stated in other sources, on the other hand, that it was Taqî al-din who took the initiative in this matter and that he suggested to Sultan Murad III to establish an observatory. Taqî al-din wished to have an observatory founded in Istanbul and the Grand-vizier Soqullu Muhammad Pasha and Khwaja Sa'd al-din became interested in the matter and supported him. He prepared a report to present to the Sultan which explained the necessity of founding a new observatory. In this report Taqî al-din explained that the available astronomical tables had grown out-dated and new tables based on fresh observations had to be compiled.
Sextant of Tycho Brahe |
Recent research has shown that this observatory had been one of the largest of the observatories built in the 16th century and was comparable to Tycho Brahe's Uroniborg (16th century) as well as Ulug Bey's Samarqand (15th century) and Nâsir al-din Tûsî's Maragha (13th century).
In this short article I am going to dwell on only the first part, that is to say the instruments built in this institution.
The reputation of the observatory depends on first and foremost the preciseness of its instruments, secondly on the importance of the work done within; and then on the quality of the astronomers connected to it.
The available sources that give information about the instruments constructed in this observatory are:
Alât-i Rasadîya li Zîj-i Shahinshâhîya (Astronomical instruments for the Zij of Emperor).
· Sidra Muntahâ al afkâr of Taqî al-din
· Âlâ al-din al Mansûr's Poem.
Generally, observational instruments in an observatory can be divided into two groups: fixed and portable. In enumerating the instruments, Taqî al-din does not say anything concerning the portable instruments.
Tycho Brahe built an observatory under the sponsorship of King Frederic II of Denmark in 1576. He equipped this observatory with the best possible instruments of his time and succeeded in becoming one of the great astronomers of all history by building these refined instruments, making accurate observations and helping the discoveries of Kepler.
Recent research has shown that there is an exact identity between most of the instruments of Tycho Brahe's and Taqî al-din's observatories.
Tycho Brahe and Taqî al-din were not satisfied with the instruments of the previous astronomers. They had new discoveries to use. These were the sextant, the wooden quadrant and astronomical clock.
The Mushabbaha bi'l manâtiq is composed of three rulers. Two of them are attached as the rulers of triquetrum. An arc is attached at the end of one of the rulers. This instrument is used to determine the distances between the stars. Taqî al-din's mushabbaha bi'l manâtiq and Tycho Brahe's sextant should be considered among the great achievements of the 16th century.
Ulasan.
Dia "adalah seorang ahli astronomi yang cemerlang dan saintis pada zamannya, dan telah kepentingan yang besar kepada pembangunan sains astronomi, secara umum, dan pandangan kita di dunia ini". Namun di Denmark Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), yang dibina dua balai cerap dengan satu menjadi antara yang terbesar pada zamannya, telah dipengaruhi oleh dan dibina di atas pencapaian dua balai cerap dari dunia Islam: balai cerap Ulugh Beg di Samarkand ( dibina 1420-1437) dan Balai Cerap Istanbul di Empayar Uthmaniyyah (siap pada 1577 tetapi musnah pada 1580). Kedua telah dibina oleh ahli astronomi kepala Empayar Uthmaniyyah, Taqi al-Din Muhammad ibn Ma'ruf.
Selebihnya artikel pendek ini akan memberi tumpuan kepada balai cerap Taqi al-Din dan bandingkan pencapaian profesional yang Tycho Brahe justeru menggambarkan persamaan antara instrumen mereka digunakan yang penting untuk pembangunan astronomi.
Empat ratus tahun yang lalu, Balai Cerap Istanbul diasaskan oleh Taqi al-din al-Râsid di Tophane, di sebelah Eropah Bosporus, di bawah tajaan Sultan Murad III (1574-1.595).
Seorang penulis yang tidak diketahui memberikan maklumat berikut tentang rancangan pembinaan di Istanbul,
"Oleh itu, pada hari-hari gemilang Raja Besar kami (Murad III) dengan bantuan Grand-wazir (Soqullu Muhammad Pasha) asas sebuah balai cerap baru sedang dianjurkan ........"
"Walaupun dia (Saad al-din) telah membuat persiapan yang perlu [apabila] tiba-tiba Induk kami Taqi al-din, yang merupakan saintis terbesar di bumi, datang ke Istanbul untuk memasuki Mahkamah sangat tepat Raja. Apabila dia dipersembahkan kepada Maharaja dan diterima olehnya, telah dinaikkan pangkat dan dihiasi dengan perkebunan feudal yang besar, kerana dia adalah benar-benar menyedari sains. Juga perbelanjaan yang diperlukan untuk kerja-kerja beliau diberikan dari Imperial perbendaharaan. Dalam usaha untuk memulakan kerja dengan bantuan Tuhan, [a] Eropah Castle (Frenk Sarayi) di atas bangunan yang besar dan makmur Tophane di Istanbul, Tuhan boleh meningkatkan bangunan-bangunan yang indah, telah diberikan dan aktiviti-aktiviti yang telah dimulakan. Untuk dimasukkan ke dalam ayat kualiti instrumen yang perlu di Imperial puisi pertamanya teks ini bergantung penyata Taqi al-din, terdiri dan dinamakan al Alat Rasâdiya li Zij-i Shahin-shâhîya. "
Ia dinyatakan dalam sumber-sumber lain, di sisi lain, bahawa ia adalah Taqi al-din yang telah mengambil inisiatif dalam perkara ini dan bahawa beliau mencadangkan kepada Sultan Murad III untuk menubuhkan balai cerap. Taqi al-din ingin mempunyai sebuah balai cerap yang diasaskan di Istanbul dan Grand-wazir Soqullu Muhammad Pasha dan Khwaja Saad al-din menjadi berminat dalam perkara ini dan menyokong beliau. Beliau menyediakan laporan untuk membentangkan kepada Sultan yang menjelaskan keperluan penubuhan sebuah balai cerap baru. Dalam laporan ini Taqi al-din menjelaskan bahawa jadual yang tersedia astronomi telah berkembang keluar-tarikh dan jadual baru berdasarkan pemerhatian segar perlu disusun.
Sextant Tycho Brahe
Kajian terbaru telah menunjukkan bahawa balai cerap ini telah menjadi salah satu terbesar di balai cerap yang dibina pada abad ke-16 dan setanding dengan Tycho Brahe ini Uroniborg (abad ke-16) serta Ulug Bey itu Samarqand (abad ke-15) dan Nasir al-din Maragha Tusi ( abad ke-13).
Dalam artikel pendek ini saya akan menyentuh mengenai hanya bahagian pertama, iaitu instrumen yang dibina di institusi ini.
Reputasi balai cerap bergantung kepada preciseness pertama-tamanya instrumen, kedua mengenai kepentingan kerja-kerja yang dilakukan di dalam dan kemudian pada kualiti ahli-ahli astronomi yang berkaitan dengannya.
Sumber yang ada yang memberi maklumat tentang instrumen yang dibina di balai cerap ini adalah seperti berikut:
Alat-i Rasadîya li Zij-i Shahinshâhîya (instrumen Astronomi untuk Zij Maharaja).
· Sidra Muntaha al afkâr Taqi al-din
Puisi · Ala al-Din al Mansur.
Secara umumnya, instrumen pemerhatian di sebuah balai cerap boleh dibahagikan kepada dua kumpulan: tetap dan mudah alih. Dalam membutirkan instrumen, Taqi al-din tidak mengatakan apa-apa mengenai instrumen mudah alih.
Tycho Brahe membina sebuah balai cerap di bawah penajaan Raja Frederic II dari Denmark tahun 1576. Beliau dilengkapi balai cerap ini dengan instrumen terbaik pada zamannya dan berjaya menjadi salah satu daripada ahli-ahli astronomi besar semua sejarah dengan membina instrumen halus, membuat pemerhatian yang tepat dan membantu penemuan Kepler.
Kajian terbaru telah menunjukkan bahawa terdapat identiti sebenar antara kebanyakan instrumen Tycho Brahe dan balai cerap Taqi al-din.
Tycho Brahe dan Taqi al-din tidak berpuas hati dengan instrumen ahli-ahli astronomi sebelumnya. Mereka mempunyai penemuan baru untuk digunakan. Ini adalah Sextant, kuadran kayu dan jam astronomi.
Mushabbaha bi'l manâtiq terdiri daripada tiga pemerintah. Dua daripada mereka dilampirkan sebagai pemerintah triquetrum. Arka dilampirkan pada akhir salah seorang raja-raja. Instrumen ini digunakan untuk menentukan jarak antara bintang-bintang. Taqi al-din mushabbaha bi'l manâtiq dan Sextant Tycho Brahe harus dianggap antara pencapaian besar abad ke-16.