Science

Astronomy

Instruments

	Principle and Use of Ottoman Sundials
	By: Atilla Bir, Fri 30 May, 2008 Muslim astronomers and engineers invented a variety of dials for timekeeping and for determining the times of the five daily prayers. In this thorough and technical study, Professor Attila Bir analyses the principle and use of Ottoman sundials. Beginning with the definition of the the day, the hour and the prayer times, he analyses the mathematical formulas of the main two varieties of suncials used by Ottoman astronomers, the horizontal and vertical sundials.
	The Armillary Sphere: A Concentrate of Knowledge in Islamic Astronomy
	By: Samia Khan, Sat 01 December, 2007 The armillary sphere is an ancient astronomical instrument reproducing a model of the celestial sphere. In its simplest form, it was known since the antiquity. The article presents the principle of its drawing and use, as displayed in Muslim heritage, and hence shows the concentrate of scientific knowledge that lies behind the apparent simplicity of the instrument.
	Seeking Seamless Scientific Wonders: Review of Emilie Savage-Smith's Work
	By: Najma Kazi, Sat 24 November, 2007 Najma Kazi reviews some salient aspects of Emilie Savage-Smith's work. Emilie Savage-Smith, who is a Professor of History of Science at the Oriental Institute (Oxford University), is an internationally recognised authority on the History of Islamic Science, and is a key figure within a small band of historians that are spearheading the discovery of Muslim Heritage and its impact on civilisation.
	Using an Astrolabe
	By: Emily Winterburn, Wed 10 August, 2005 Emily Winterburn The history of the astrolabe begins more than two thousand years ago, but it is in the Islamic classical world that the astrolabe was highly developed and its uses widely multiplied. Introduced to Europe from Islamic Spain in the early 12th century, it was one of the major astronomical instruments until the modern times. In this concise and beautifully illustrated article, Emily Winterburn casts a short story of the Islamic art of making astrolabes – developing the different varieties, the description of their structure and parts and their uses in social, religious and scientific functions.
	Astronomical Instruments of Tycho Brahe and Taqi al-Din
	By: FSTC Limited, Thu 21 April, 2005 Tycho Brahe "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" has been influenced by and built upon the achievements of Muslims astronomers such as Taqi al-Din
	Modelling the Stars
	By: FSTC Limited, Wed 30 June, 2004 The measurement of the positions of the stars was developed and refined by scientists of the Muslim world and many kinds of Models were developed. These are described here