Universal Solution of Medieval Spherical Astronomy

Abstract

Spherical astronomy is a part of astronomy that figures of the sky as a sphere. It concerns the study of astronomical coordinate frames, the direction and apparent motion of celestial bodies, the determination of positions from astronomical observations, and the errors that can occur in observations. Spherical astronomy makes it easier for humans to determine the direction and position of celestial bodies relative to observers on Earth. In the history of human civilization, spherical astronomy has been the solution to determining the time of worship for medieval Muslims. Especially during the glory days of the Mamluks, Egypt and Syria. This article was written based on literature research with qualitative method as an approach. Then the collecting data was carried out by the documentation method on various notes, books, transcripts and images could be found. Then the data was analyzed descriptively. The results of this research show that Egyptian and Syrian astronomers during Mamluk reign (between the 13th-15th centuries) made a major contribution to the progress and development of science, especially in astronomy. Both the preparation of astronomical tables and various astronomical tools or instruments they designed.