Al Battani

 

8. Al-Battani* 
*Full Name*: Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Jabir ibn Sinan al-Raqqi al-Harrani 
*Born*: c. 858 CE, near Harran 
*Died*: 929 CE 
*Main Interests*: Mathematics, Astronomy, and Astrology 
*Notable Ideas*: Trigonometric relationships 
*Major Works*: _Kitab al-Zij_ 

Al-Battani is sometimes known by the Latin version of his name: Albategnius, Albategni, or Albatenius.

*Early Life and Career*: Abdullah Muhammad ibn Jabir ibn Sinan al-Battani al-Harrani was born around *858 CE in Harran*. Battani was first educated by his father, Jabir ibn Sinan, who was also a renowned scientist. He then moved to Raqqa, located on the banks of the Euphrates River, where he received advanced education and later flourished as a scholar. At the beginning of the 9th century, he moved to Samarra, where he worked until the end of his life. 


His family had been members of the *Sabian sect*, a religious sect of star worshippers in Harran. Being worshippers of the stars meant that the Sabians had a strong motivation to study astronomy.


*Al-Battani’s Main Achievements*:

1. He cataloged *489 stars*. 

2. He defined the existing value for the length of the year as *365 days, 5 hours, 46 minutes, 24 seconds*, and also for the seasons. 

3. He calculated the *precession of the equinoxes as 54.5" per year* and obtained a value of *23° 35' for the obliquity of the ecliptic*. 


Instead of using geometric methods, as other scientists did, al-Battani used *trigonometric methods*, which was an important advancement. Al-Battani made remarkably accurate astronomical observations in Antioch and Raqqa, Syria. The city of ar-Raqqa, where most of al-Battani’s observations were made, became prosperous when Caliph Harun al-Rashid built many palaces there. 


_Al-Fihrist_ describes al-Battani as one of the most famous observers and leaders in geometry, theoretical and practical astronomy, and astrology. He composed a work on astronomy with tables, including his own observations of the Sun and Moon and a more accurate description of their motion than that given in Ptolemy’s _Almagest_.


This was an important advancement. Al-Battani showed that the Sun’s distance from Earth varies and, as a result, *annular eclipses of the Sun, as well as total eclipses, are possible*. 


Al-Battani is important in the development of science for many reasons, but one of them is the *great influence his work had on scientists like Tycho Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, and Copernicus*.


*Death*: All historians agree that al-Battani died in *317 AH / 929 CE* near the city of Mosul in Iraq. He is considered one of the most famous Arab astronomers.


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Want me to fix the typos in the original Hindi text too? Like _किताबज़-ज़फ़िज_ should be _किताब अल-ज़ीज_, and _858 ई.पू._ should be _858 ई._

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