Research Article
Analysis of the Star Map in Chon-Sang-Yol-Cha-Bun-Ya-Ji-Do
Department of Astronomy, Seoul National University
Published: January 1998 · Vol. 20 · pp. 113-149
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Abstract
We have analyzed the Korean stone star chart, Chon-Sang-Yol-Cha-Bun-Ya-Ji-Do(天象列次分野之圖). In the star map we have found 1467 stars. Shapes of constellations are basically the same as those in Chon-Mun-Ryu-Cho(天文類抄), a star atlas and catalog of Josun(朝鮮) Dynasty. We have identified 375 stars and found a new constellation consisting of four stars, Jong-Dae-Bu(宗大夫). We have found from a statistical analysis that most stars with declination lower than about 50° are at positions representing the epoch of around the first century. On the other hand, stars near the north pole with declination higher than about 50° are at the epoch close to the fourteenth century. This corresponds to the beginning of Josun Dynasty when the chart was engraved. It is implied that the original star chart of Go-Gu-Ryo(高句麗) Dynasty is based on observations in the first century, and has been revised by astronomers of Josun Dynasty in the fourteenth century. The map projection law used in the star chart is found to be the polar-equatorial and polar equi-distance projection. The distance of an object from the center of the map is linearly proportional to the angular distance from the north celestial pole. We have also shown that stars are engraved in such a way that their area is linearly proportional to the visual magnitude, and represents the actual brightness of stars much more accurately than star atlases of Josun, such as Chon-Mun-Ryu-Cho or Chinese Bo-Chon-Ga(步天歌). The circumpolar circle near the north pole indicates that the latitude of the observer is about 38°, close to that of Seoul, the capital of Josun. However, the distance to outermost stars on the map gives the observer's latitude of about 40° which is the latitude of Go-Gu-Ryo Dynasty. The accurate stellar magnitude system and the observer's latitude indicate that the original map has been based on observations of Go-Gu-Ryo in the first century.