ANCIENT ASIAN ASTRONOMY

HISTORY

• The Asian civilization started in 1339 and ended in 1281 B.C

IMPORTANT INVENTION

• The ancient Chinese invented the first planetarium, which was actually made by an emperor. The planetarium was a big enclosed place with stars and constellations inside. The person using the planetarium would sit in a chair that was hanging from the top of the enclosed dome.

VALID DISCOVERIES

• Recorded star explosions
• Invocation of Chinese lunar colander
• Created 60 meter platform to measure rising and setting of sun
• Discovered Silk Atlas of Commets
• Created star maps

FALSE DISCOVERIES

• Believed earth was flat
• Believed universe was like an egg with earth being the yolk at the center
• Thought sky was curved like a shell around earth

USES OF ASTRONOMY

• One of the main functions was for the purpose of timekeeping.The Chinese used a lunisolar calendar.
• The Chinese calendar was considered to be a symbol of the dynasty. As a dynasty would rise and fall, astronomers would often prepare a new calendar.

MYTH

• The myth of Solar Eclipses
• As said in India early mythology consisted of the tale of a demon trying to eat the sun and the moon.

Untitled Slide

• The main job of the Chinese astronomers was to chart time, announce the first day of every month and predict lunar eclipses. Chinese mechanical engineers created “Su Sung’s Clock,” the worlds first mechanical clock. The design of watches and classical clocks like Big Ben are modeled off of the Chinese original. During the reign of Emperor Huang Ti, a giant planetarium and observatory was built to study comets, sunspots, and solar flares. The Chinese were the first to record these phenomena which we are still observing (in much more advanced facilities) today.

Untitled Slide

• The main job of the Chinese astronomers was to chart time, announce the first day of every month and predict lunar eclipses. Chinese mechanical engineers created “Su Sung’s Clock,” the worlds first mechanical clock. The design of watches and classical clocks like Big Ben are modeled off of the Chinese original. During the reign of Emperor Huang Ti, a giant planetarium and observatory was built to study comets, sunspots, and solar flares. The Chinese were the first to record these phenomena which we are still observing (in much more advanced facilities) today.

ASSESSMENT

• True or false: the Asian civilization started in 1280 B.C?
• What was one invention Asian astrologist are well known for?
• True or false: Asian astrologist a created star maps?
• True or false: The Asians believed the unversed was modeled like an egg?
• True or false: The Chinese used unisolar calendar for time keeping?
• Asians had myths pertaining to solar system?