Old Beijing Observatory

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 39 ° 54 ′ 21.8 "  N , 116 ° 25 ′ 40.7"  E

Rear of the platform of the Old Observatory, view from the south

The Old Beijing Observatory ( Chinese  北京 古 觀象台  /  北京 古 观象台 , Pinyin Běijīng gǔ guānxiàngtái ) is an observatory in Beijing , which was built before the invention of the telescope in the Ming Dynasty in 1442. It was used to determine the position of the stars and to improve the position calculations for the sun, moon and planets. Because the Chinese calendar was based on the real positions of the sun and moon, such observations were essential for determining the calendar dates.

Plan of the observatory

As one of the oldest surviving observatories in the world, the Beijing Old Observatory covers an area of ​​10,000 square meters . The observation tower has a 10 meter high platform on the roof of today's astronomical museum, on which some bronze instruments stand. It was part of the old city wall of Beijing and also served as a gnomon itself at the time .

history

The observatory was founded in the Yuan Dynasty under Kublai Khan in 1279 by the astronomers Wáng Xún (王 恂) 、 and Guō Shǒujìng (郭守敬) near where it is today. One of the goals was to reform the faulty old calendar. Copies of the original instruments from this period are to the west of the observation tower around the current exhibition building.

Today's striking observation tower dates from the Ming Dynasty 1442. During the Qing Dynasty 1673, most of the instruments were renewed and expanded by the Jesuit Ferdinand Verbiest under the Emperor Kangxi . The theodolite (1715) and the new armillary sphere (1744) were added later.

During the fall of the Qing Dynasty following the Boxer Rebellion , Allied troops came to Beijing and looted the observatory. The instruments were returned by France in 1902 and Germany in 1921.

It has been on the list of monuments of the People's Republic of China (2-32) since 1982 . In 1983, partially reduced replicas of some of the oldest instruments were made and placed in the forecourt at the site of the first observatory. The originals are still in Nanjing, where they were taken in 1931 to protect them from Japanese troops.

Instruments

Today's instruments come mainly from the renovation by the Belgian Jesuit Ferdinand Verbiest in 1673. Although the telescope was already known in Europe at this time, position observations were still carried out around the world largely without optical aids.

Armillary sphere

The following instruments are on the platform today:

  • The so-called “new” armillary sphere from 1744 by the Jesuits Ignatius Koegler and August de Hallerstein . It was used to determine both the equatorial coordinates and the rise and set times of celestial bodies. It has two right ascension circles for measuring the difference between equatorial coordinates. To improve the measurement accuracy, it has adjusting screws and replaceable bearing wear parts.
  • The quadrant from 1673 was used to measure the height or zenith distance of celestial bodies.
  • The celestial globe from 1673 as a star atlas and for reading the positions, times of rise and set of the stars.
  • The ecliptic armillary sphere from 1673, consisting of two bronze discs that can be rotated into one another. It was used to determine the position of ecliptical coordinates , e.g. B. of the sun, moon and planets. The inner circle can be centered on the ecliptic here.
  • The 1673 altazimuth instrument was used to measure both altitude and azimuth .
  • The theodolite from 1715 by Kilian Stumpf was used to measure altitude and azimuth , similar to the above AltAzimuth instrument .
  • The sextant from 1673 is used to measure the angle between celestial bodies, also to determine the angular diameter of the sun and moon .
  • The equatorial armillary sphere for the equatorial determination of the coordinates of stars from 1673.

Surroundings

On the grounds of the older part in the forecourt of the exhibition building there are replicas of the older instruments from 1983. The originals are in the modern Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing :

  • a large armillary sphere from 1439.

These two armillary spheres originally had basins filled with water at the base for precise leveling. The simplified armillary sphere has precursors to our current rolling bearings .

  • a gnomon for determining the exact time of noon and the height of the sun from the Ming period.

The construction of the gnomon also goes back to Guō Shìujìng and corresponds to his Gaocheng observatory on a smaller scale. This instrument also has a gutter for precise leveling.

  • a square coordinate measuring table with gnomon by Guō Shǒujìng 郭守敬 from the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368).

In the garden south of the observation tower there are two more armillary spheres that are still ready for use.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ New Armillary Sphere - 玑 衡 抚 辰 仪 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 - History - 历史 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  2. ^ Marilyn Shea: Quadrant - 象限 仪 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  3. ↑ Marilyn Shea: Celestial Globe - 天体 仪 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 - History - 历史 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  4. ↑ Marilyn Shea: Ecliptic Armilla - 黄 道 经纬仪 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  5. ↑ Marilyn Shea: AltAzimut - 地平 经 仪 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  6. ↑ Azimut Theodolite - 地平 经纬仪 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 - History - 历史 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  7. ↑ Marilyn Shea: Sextant - 纪 限 仪 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  8. ↑ Marilyn Shea: Equatorial Armilla - 赤道 经纬仪 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  9. ↑ Marilyn Shea: Armillary Sphere - 浑仪 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 - History - 历史 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  10. ↑ Marilyn Shea: Abridged or Simplified Armilla - 简 仪 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  11. ↑ Marilyn Shea: Gnomon - 圭表 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  12. ↑ Marilyn Shea: Sundials - 日晷 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  13. ↑ Marilyn Shea: Square Table - 正方 寨 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  14. ↑ Marilyn Shea: Armillary Sphere - 浑仪 - Chinese Astronomy - 中国 天文学 - History - 历史 . Hua.umf.maine.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2010.

Web links

Commons : many pictures from the observatory  - album with pictures, videos and audio files