Login
Login

Nastulus

{{Short description|10th-century astronomer and astrolabist}}

{{Infobox academic

| image = Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī description of Nasṭūlus’s astrolabe.jpg

| image_size = 180

| caption = Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī's description of Nasṭūlus’s astrolabe

| name =

| native_name = محمد بن عبد الله نسطولس

| native_name_lang = ar

| birth_date = fl. 10th century

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| era = Islamic Golden Age

| school_tradition =

| main_interests = Astronomy

| notable_ideas =

| major_works =

| influences =

| influenced = Al-ʻIjliyyah{{sfn|Dodge|1970|p=671}}

}}

Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh Nasṭūlus ({{langx|ar|محمد بن عبد الله نسطولس}}; known as Nasṭūlus, but also referred to as Basṭūlus) was a 10th century astronomer. He is known for making one of the oldest surviving astrolabes, dated 927/928,{{sfn|Rius|2007}} as well as of another partially preserved astrolabe that bears his signature, "Made by Nasṭūlus in the year 315" of hijra (925).{{sfn|Rius|2007}}{{sfn|King|1999|p=87}}

Very little is known about Nasṭūlus. His full name, based on a testimony given by a contemporary astronomer, Abu Sa'id al-Sijzi, indicates that he was a Muslim, but some modern historians have suggested that his foreign last name may indicate that he was Greek or Nestorian.{{sfn|Rius|2007}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Sources

  • {{cite book |publisher = Columbia University Press |isbn = 978-0-231-02925-4 |last = Dodge |first = Bayard |title = The Fihrist of Al-Nadīm: A Tenth-century Survey of Muslim Culture |date = 1970 | url = https://archive.org/details/fihristofalnadim0000ibna/page/671}}
  • {{cite encyclopedia | editor = Thomas Hockey|display-editors=etal| last = Rius | first = Mònica | title=Nasṭūlus: Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh | encyclopedia = The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers | publisher = Springer | year = 2007 | location = New York | pages = 822–3 | url=http://islamsci.mcgill.ca/RASI/BEA/Nastulus_BEA.htm | isbn=9780387310220}} ([http://islamsci.mcgill.ca/RASI/BEA/Nastulus_BEA.pdf PDF version])
  • {{cite book| publisher = Brill Publishers| isbn = 978-90-04-11367-1| last = King| first = David A.| title = World Maps for Finding the Direction and Distance of Mecca: Examples of Innovation and Tradition in Islamic Science| date = 1999| url-access = registration| url = https://archive.org/details/worldmapsforfind00king/page/87}}

Further reading

;Websites

  • {{cite web |title=A remarkable mathematical and astronomical brass instrument signed by Nastulus, one of the leading astronomer-craftsmen of late-9th and early 10th-century Baghdad |url=https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2006/arts-of-the-islamic-world-l06222/lot.87.html |publisher=Sotheby's |access-date=31 January 2023 |ref=none |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131213307/https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2006/arts-of-the-islamic-world-l06222/lot.87.html |archive-date=31 January 2023 |location=London}}
  • {{cite web |title=History of the Astrolabe |url=https://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/students/03to04/Astrolabes/Starholder_history.html |website=History of Science Museum |publisher=University of Oxford |access-date=31 January 2023}}
  • {{cite web |title=Nastulus - Planispheric Astrolabe Made by Nastulus (or Bastilus) |url=http://dla.library.upenn.edu/dla/fisher/record.html?id=FISHER_n2001071563& |website=Fine Arts Library Image Collection Search Collection |publisher=University of Pennsylvania |access-date=31 January 2023}}

;Journals

  • {{cite journal |last1=King |first1=David A. |title=An Instrument of Mass Calculation made by NasÐūlus in Baghdad ca. 900 |journal=Suhayl |date=2008 |volume=8 |pages=93{{ndash}}119 |url=http://www.ub.edu/arab/suhayl/volums/volum8/paper%203.pdf |ref=none |issn=1576-9372}}

External links

  • [https://thealsabahcollection.com/collection-e/en-metalwork/ Image of one of the two astrolabes made by Nasṭūlus] from the Al-Sabah Collection website
  • [https://aylinmalcolm.com/astro/items/show/21 Description of a manuscript dated Jumadi II 625 AH (May 1228)] from the exhibition Scanning the Skies: A Virtual Exhibit of Astronomy Manuscripts at the University of Pennsylvania, showing a description of one of Nasṭūlus’s astrolabes

{{Islamic astronomy}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:10th-century astronomers

Category:Astronomers of the medieval Islamic world

Category:Scientific instrument makers

{{astronomer-stub}}