A Survey of European Astronomical Tables in the Late Middle Ages (Time, Astronomy, and Calendars: Texts and Studies, 2)

This is a survey of the numerous astronomical tables compiled in the late Middle Ages, which represent a major intellectual enterprise. Such tables were often the best way available at the time for transmitting precise information to the reader. Contents 5 List of Tables 9 List of Figures 15 Preface 17 Introduction 21 Chapter One Chronology 33 1. Epochs and Intervals 34 2. Number of Days from the Beginning of an Era 36 3. Conversion of Dates 37 Chapter Two Trigonometry and Spherical Astronomy 39 1. Sines and Chords 39 2. Solar Declination 42 3. Shadow Table 44 4. Right Ascension 44 5. Oblique Ascension 48 6. Ascensional Difference 50 7. Length of Daylight 51 8. Meridian Altitude of the Sun 53 9. Time of Day from the Altitude of the Sun 54 Chapter Three Equation of Time 57 Chapter Four Precession and Apogees 63 1. Trepidation (Access and Recess) 64 2. Apogees 67 3. Parisian Alfonsine Tables 68 Chapter Five Mean Motions and Radices 73 1. Mean Motions 74 2. Radices 79 Chapter Six Equations 83 1. Sun 83 2. Moon 87 3. Planets 93 Chapter Seven True Positions 103 1. Sun 103 2. Moon 106 3. Planets 108 Chapter Eight Velocity 115 1. Sun and Moon 115 2. Planets 119 Chapter Nine Latitude 123 1. Moon 123 1.1 Ptolemaic tradition 123 1.2 Indian tradition 124 2. Planets 126 2.1 Ptolemaic tradition 126 2.2 Indian tradition 130 2.3 Further developments 132 Chapter Ten Stations and Retrogradations 137 Chapter Eleven Visibility of the Moon and the Planets 143 1. Moon 143 2. Planets 144 Chapter Twelve Parallax 147 1. Ptolemaic Tradition 148 2. Indian Tradition 155 Chapter Thirteen Syzygies 159 1. Mean Syzygies 160 2. Time from Mean to True Syzygy 164 3. True Syzygies 171 Chapter Fourteen Planetary Conjunctions 175 1. Sun–Planets 175 2. Superior Planets 176 Chapter Fifteen Eclipses 183 1. Diameters of the Luminaries and the Earth’s Shadow 184 2. Digits of Eclipse 185 2.1 Lunar eclipses 185 2.2 Solar eclipses 188 3. Interpolation Schemes 192 4. Eclipsed Part of the Solar and Lunar Disks 194 5. Reflexio tenebrarum 195 6. Colors 196 7. Table of the Samt for Solar Eclipses 198 8. Lists of Eclipses 200 Chapter Sixteen Fixed Stars 205 Chapter Seventeen Geographical Lists 221 Chapter Eighteen Astrology 225 1. Horoscopes and Astrological Houses 225 2. Projection of the Rays 232 3. Planetary Dignities 235 4. Excess of Revolution 238 5. Revolution of the Months 241 6. Duration of Pregnancy 243 Chapter Nineteen Miscellaneous Tables 247 List of Manuscripts 251 Bibliography 255 Index 265 A Survey of European Astronomical Tables in the Late Middle Ages is a first attempt to classify and illustrate the numerous astronomical tables compiled from about the 10th century to the early 16th century in the Latin West. The compilation of astronomical tables was a major and dynamic intellectual enterprise. These tables respond to a wide variety of astronomical problems and computational needs, and contain a large number of ingenious solutions proposed by astronomers over the centuries. In the absence of algebraic notation and mathematical graphing techniques, a table was often the best way to transmit precise information to the reader. Indeed, an astronomical table is not a just a list of data, but a structured way to present numerical information of astronomical interest.'...the whole book which is an excellent guide for all those who are interested in the history of medieval European astronomy and, especially, in medieval astronomical tables.'Julio Samsó, University of Barcelona "A Survey of European Astronomical Tables in the Late Middle Ages is a first attempt to classify and illustrate the numerous astronomical tables compiled from about the 10th century to the early 16th century in the Latin West. Indeed, the compilation of astronomical tables was a major and dynamic intellectual enterprise. These tables respond to a wide variety of astronomical problems and computational needs, and contain a large number of ingenious solutions proposed by astronomers over the centuries. In the absence of algebraic notation and mathematical graphing techniques, a table was often the best way to transmit precise information to the reader. Indeed, an astronomical table is not just a list of data, but a structured way to present numerical information of astronomical interest." -- back cover