Al-Battani

Biography

cahaya.com—Al-Battani's full name is Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Jabir ibn Sinan Al-Battani al-Harrani. In Europe, he was known as Albategnius or al-Batenus. He was born in 858M in the area of Battan, Harran, located in Southwest Iraq. The grandson of a leading Arab scientist, Thabit bin Qurah, known as astronomy and mathematics experts in the world in the Middle Ages it died in the year 317 Hijra (929 M).

Initially, al-Battani to live among the community of Sabian Sect, a sect of devotees religious star of Harran which has strong motivation to learn the science of astrology. This Sabian sect many math experts and experts such as Thabit bin falakQurrah. But even so, al-Battani, Sabian is not a given that name attached to him showed that he is a Muslim.

Expertise and popularity earned al-Battani as the largest astronomy and mathematics experts in the world in the middle ages may not be released from his family background that has the blood of scientists. His father named Jabir ibn Sinan and is a famous science expert have directed his son to apply yourself to the world of knowledge since childhood. From his father, al-Battani studied astronomy and mathematics. Entering adolescence, al-Battani emigrated to Raqqa located on the banks of the Euphrates to working in this field of science. This is in the town of al-Battani conduct various studies to find the wide variety of brilliant invention. At that time, Raqqa being famous and achieving prosperity due to the Caliph Harun al-Rashid, Caliph of the Abbasid dynasty, fifth in the built a number of palaces in the city on 14 September 786 as a form of recognition of a number of inventions produced by research conducted by al-Battani. After the construction of a number of castles in Raqqa, the city also became a center of activity for science and commerce.

Ali Ibn Isa Al-Asthurlabi or Yahya bin Abu Mansoor who is leading two scientists in the field of astronomy who lived during the reign of al-Battani could be — even though there is no data that will surely this — is the teacher of astronomy, al-Battani apart from his father. However, al-Battani had mastered a variety of astronomical books many outstanding books of his time, especially the Almagest of Ptolemy works.

Ibn an-Nadim in his ' mention that al-Battani started his journey to observe the astronomical problems since the year 264 H (878). With this opinion is correct, means al-Battani had lived in quite a long time in the city of Raqqa and astronomical research that successfully found in 306 H (918 M). In addition, al-Battani also once lived in the town of Anthakiyyah in northern Syria, where he made a pair of binoculars is called "Al-Battani Binoculars." In General, the period where al-Battani's life was the heyday of Arab astronomy science and the discovery of a wide range of scientific discoveries in Arabia in this field.

As an expert in the field of astronomy, al-Battani also has authored many books about the observations of the stars, the comparisons between different calendars are used in various ethnic groups (Islamic, Persian, a.d., and Qibti), and a variety of equipment that is used in observing the stars and how to make it. Among his books, the most famous are the Zij Al-Shabi ' or Zij al-Battani (the book consists of an introduction and fifty-seven chapter that most of its content comes from his experiences observing the stars as well as thought-provoking and his theories in the science of astronomy). In the preface to this book, al-Battani said, "the most glorious position Science is the science of astrology. Because, with the science that can be known long months and years, time, season, value added, and the reduction of night and day, the position of the Sun and moon, eclipse as well as well as the operations of the planet when departing and return. "

In addition to the Zij Al-Shabi ', the work of al-Battani more in the field of astronomy is the treatise Aqdari Al-Tahqiqi fi Ittishalat, Ma'rifati Mathali Them fi al-Baina Arbama ' al-Falak, Ta'dil al-Kawakib, Syarh Arba ' Bathlimus, and li Maqaalaat li SamaahatBook Rasa'il wa fi Ilmi Al-Jughrafiya.

His works

Interest in Al-Battani on heavenly bodies make it working in this field of astronomy.He got his education from his father, Ibn Jabir Al-Battani San'an, who is also a scientist. With his intelligence, Al-Battani is capable of mastering all the lessons given by his father and uses a number of astronomical equipment in a fairly short time. Some time later, he left the Harran to Raqqa located on the banks of the Euphrates. In this town, he continued his education and started doing various studies, which then produce a number of important discoveries that are useful to society and the Government.

In Al-Fihrist' a bibliography of the greatest of all time, written by Ibn al-Nadim in the 10th century AD, depicts an al-Battani as one observer famously and major figures in the field of geometry, theoretical-practical astronomy and astrology. In his ' mentioned that Al-Battani also has crafted a masterpiece that contains a Sun and moon observation data and more accurate description of the movement of the Sun and moon, is more accurate than that given Ptolemy in Ptolemy's "Almagest" (an astronomical treatise proposing the complex motions of the stars and planetary paths).

Al-Battani describes the movement of the five planets through observation that she did. He also managed to make astronomical calculations and doing other supremely useful in the present. The calculation of the period of revolution of the earth around the Sun during 365 days, 5 hours, 46 minutes, and 24 seconds is one invention is worth a thumbs up because it's almost close to the true value that is currently considered to be more accurate. Then determining the slope field elliptic, an orbit of the Sun and the length of the season with a very accurate. The determination of the new moon he explains as for how to determine the limits of the turn from one month (month) to the rest of the year.

One of his most popular is Al-Zij Al-Sabi the much-translated by Western countries. For example, in latin translated as De Scienta Stellarium-De Motibus et StellarumNumerical. Which to this day is still preserved in the Vatican, Rome, Italy.

The book was also translated in a variety of countries and are spread widely throughout the world. The book is highly valued and made reference to the Western astronomy experts for several centuries. In the book, it is written of various his discoveries, such as the determination of the initial estimate of the new moon or new moon, the approximate length of the Sun, and corrections over the results of the calculations of Ptolemy on the orbit of the Moon and planets.

In the book, al-Battani also developed methods for calculating movement and the orbits of the planets. No wonder, if this book gets an important role in renovating the modern astronomy flourished in Europe. European astronomical figures as Copernicus, Kepler, Regiomontanus, and Peubach is said to be successful in the AstronomicalSciences thanks to al-Battani. Even Copernicus in his book De Revoltionibus OrbiumClestium claims to be owed at Al-Battani. And some terms in astronomy ball like azimuth, zenith, and nadir also comes from the mouth of al-Battani.

Overview of the book of the Zij al-Battani

Al-Battani on astronomical's most famous work is Kitab al-Zij. According to DoctorAbdul Halim, that book Zij Al-Shabi ' is the greatest work of al-Battani which describes the results of calculations and tables falak, star in its orbit, and also to count the months, days and dates. In the Zij Al-Shabi ' this can also be known about the point farthest Star (الأوج) and the closest point (الحضيض) from the Earth. Based on the observations of al-Battani that farthest point between Earth and the Sun grew 16 ° 47′29″n.

The book was translated into Latin in the 12th century under the title De Scienta Stellerum u De Stellerum et Motibus Numerically by Plato of Tivoli. The oldest translations of his work were still there in the Vatican. The translation of the book not only in latin but also other languages

This translation came out in print edition while  1116's circulating in 1537 and in 1645. While the work of translation into the language of Spain appeared in the 13th century. At the time of the next good translation work of Al-Battani in Latin nor Spain persisted and used widely. No wonder his writings, very giving influence to the development of science in Europe until the arrival of the era of enlightenment. In his ', which compiled the Ibn an-Nadim in 988, this work is a collection of influential Muslims in the 10th century, stated that Al-Battani is an astronomer who gave an accurate picture of the Moon and the Sun.

The book of the Zij Al-Shabi ' by far the most important of his works. This book contains 57 chapters, beginning with a description of the Division of the celestial sphere into the zodiac signs and the degree. The background of the necessary mathematical tools is then introduced (such as computational operations on fractions of sexagesimal and trigonometric functions). Chapter 49 through 55 astrological problems, whereas chapter 56 discusses the construction of a sundial. The final chapter discusses the construction of a number of astronomical instruments.

The main achievement of the Zij Al-Shabi ', he succeeded with 489-star catalog. Al-Battani refining existing values for the length of the year i.e. 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes 24 seconds, and from the season.

A little exposing content of this book, that book is mentioned at the beginning of the season there are divisions on Earth there are four, namely, autumn, spring, summer, and winter. There are 12 constellations divisions namely constellation Haml, constellation Tsaur, constellation Jauza ', constellation, constellation Sarathan Asad, constellation, constellation Sunbulah Mizan, constellation ' Aqrab, Qaus, constellation Jadyu, Dalwu constellations and constellation Hut, where each constellation is worth 30degrees. Every 1 º worth 60 minutes, every one minute worth 60 seconds.

In this book use terms such as degrees, daqiqah, tsawani, tsawalis, rawabi ' and so on. At the beginning of this book also introduced about multiplication that is multiplying the interrelations between one element with other elements. If multiplication in the bow, then when the result is multiplied by the degree of degrees, daqiqah multiplied by the daqiqah result tsawani, daqiqah multiplied by tsawani result tsawalis, tsawani result tsawani multiplied rawabi ', tsawani tsawalis khowamis result multiplied so on.

Science travel from the past to the present continue to undergo development quite rapidly, as evidenced by the myriad inventions including in the field of astronomy. Islam itself in the development of civilization has also produced many scientists. But although science especially astronomy continues to grow, it turns out that we forget one thing that turned out to be Muslim scientists join the knowledge development of coloring.

The historical approach that is never accessed so that our eyes nearly closed that over centuries ago Al-Battani a leading astronomer of his era has created a book that at the time it was so phenomenal and became the Foundation for the development of current science. So the book is worthy of being a reference for us as Prosecutor falak.

While in mathematics (trigonometry, algebra, geometry) and geography, al-Battani is regarded as one of the first to replace the word "odd" used by Ptolemy in the trigonometric sine and the first person to calculate the mathematical table to find out the point on the line is crooked. In addition, al-Battani also found a number of trigonometric equations and solve the equation sin x = a cos x