China Exclusive: Astronomers Aided by Ancient Counterparts
Aug 27, 2012 Email"> PrintText Size
Research by ancient Chinese stargazers who observed and recorded several mysterious "guest" stars, which suddenly arose and then vanished after a period of time, have aided the studies of modern astronomers, according to a prominent researcher in the field.
"The so-called 'guest stars' described by ancient Chinese mainly refer to novae, supernovae or comets. Historical records left by the ancient astronomers have added a lot to modern studies of the evolution of stars," said Sun Xiaochun, a researcher with the Institute of the History of Natural Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Among the numerous records of "guest stars" in China's history, more than 90 refer to supernovae, said Sun, who is attending the ongoing International Astronomical Union (IAU)'s 28th General Assembly in Beijing.
"The ancient records, however, don't give the precise location of the stars, so more proof is needed to make the records more useful to modern astronomers," Sun said.
The most well-known supernova recorded by ancient Chinese astronomers dates back to AD 1054, when a "guest star" was spotted near Taurus, a large and prominent constellation in the northern hemisphere's winter sky. Modern astronomers have demonstrated that the "guest star" was actually an exploding supernova, the remnants of which formed the Crab Nebula.
In AD 185, Chinese astronomers noted a "guest star" that mysteriously appeared in the sky and remained there for about 8 months. Scientists later determined that the star was a supernova.
Some astronomers recently predicted that the star Betelgeuse, which is part of the Orion constellation located 1,500 light years away from Earth, will, in the near future, undergo a supernova explosion and shine as brightly as a second sun, Sun said.
The prediction is based on an astronomical record of Betelgeuse that was created about 2,000 years ago, Sun said.
"According to historical documents, the star Betelgeuse was yellow. This means its surface temperature was around 5,500 degrees Celsius at that time. But the star has turned red since then, meaning its surface temperature has dropped to about 3,800 degrees Celsius," Sun said.
"For the evolution of a celestial body, 2,000 years is only a short time. Betelgeuse's dramatic change within just 2,000 years indicates that it is at the critical point in its lifespan and a significant change is likely to occur," Sun said.
More than 30 ancient Chinese records concerning Halley's Comet have been discovered, helping to facilitate studies of the comet's orbit and cycle and the evolution of the solar system, Sun said.
China was an astronomically advanced country in ancient times, as astronomy had a profound influence on its culture back then. An observatory dating back 4,000 years was recently discovered in north China's Shanxi province, Sun said, adding that it may be the world's oldest known observatory.
"Portent astrology was of utmost importance to ancient China, because it indicated the ruler's performance in governing. That is why the Chinese have maintained the longest continuous records of celestial phenomena, some of which have proven to be unique and invaluable for modern astronomy," Sun said.
Zhu Jin, curator of the Beijing Planetarium, warned that the ancient records may not be precise, as they were influenced as much by emperors as they were by the actual movements of the stars.
"Ancient astronomical observations were under the emperors' sway, and sometimes officials falsified or left out information on purpose. Modern astronomers should learn how to verify them," Zhu said. (Xinhua)
Research by ancient Chinese stargazers who observed and recorded several mysterious "guest" stars, which suddenly arose and then vanished after a period of time, have aided the studies of modern astronomers, according to a prominent researcher in the field.
"The so-called 'guest stars' described by ancient Chinese mainly refer to novae, supernovae or comets. Historical records left by the ancient astronomers have added a lot to modern studies of the evolution of stars," said Sun Xiaochun, a researcher with the Institute of the History of Natural Science under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Among the numerous records of "guest stars" in China's history, more than 90 refer to supernovae, said Sun, who is attending the ongoing International Astronomical Union (IAU)'s 28th General Assembly in Beijing.
"The ancient records, however, don't give the precise location of the stars, so more proof is needed to make the records more useful to modern astronomers," Sun said.
The most well-known supernova recorded by ancient Chinese astronomers dates back to AD 1054, when a "guest star" was spotted near Taurus, a large and prominent constellation in the northern hemisphere's winter sky. Modern astronomers have demonstrated that the "guest star" was actually an exploding supernova, the remnants of which formed the Crab Nebula.
In AD 185, Chinese astronomers noted a "guest star" that mysteriously appeared in the sky and remained there for about 8 months. Scientists later determined that the star was a supernova.
Some astronomers recently predicted that the star Betelgeuse, which is part of the Orion constellation located 1,500 light years away from Earth, will, in the near future, undergo a supernova explosion and shine as brightly as a second sun, Sun said.
The prediction is based on an astronomical record of Betelgeuse that was created about 2,000 years ago, Sun said.
"According to historical documents, the star Betelgeuse was yellow. This means its surface temperature was around 5,500 degrees Celsius at that time. But the star has turned red since then, meaning its surface temperature has dropped to about 3,800 degrees Celsius," Sun said.
"For the evolution of a celestial body, 2,000 years is only a short time. Betelgeuse's dramatic change within just 2,000 years indicates that it is at the critical point in its lifespan and a significant change is likely to occur," Sun said.
More than 30 ancient Chinese records concerning Halley's Comet have been discovered, helping to facilitate studies of the comet's orbit and cycle and the evolution of the solar system, Sun said.
China was an astronomically advanced country in ancient times, as astronomy had a profound influence on its culture back then. An observatory dating back 4,000 years was recently discovered in north China's Shanxi province, Sun said, adding that it may be the world's oldest known observatory.
"Portent astrology was of utmost importance to ancient China, because it indicated the ruler's performance in governing. That is why the Chinese have maintained the longest continuous records of celestial phenomena, some of which have proven to be unique and invaluable for modern astronomy," Sun said.
Zhu Jin, curator of the Beijing Planetarium, warned that the ancient records may not be precise, as they were influenced as much by emperors as they were by the actual movements of the stars.
"Ancient astronomical observations were under the emperors' sway, and sometimes officials falsified or left out information on purpose. Modern astronomers should learn how to verify them," Zhu said. (Xinhua)
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