Star Lore Art The Manuchihr Globe 1633

In 1630, Abu al-Fath Manuchihr Khan, general governor of the Persian province Khorasan ordered an update of al-Sufi's Book of Fixed Stars, first published in 964. In addition to the overhaul of the tables, Manuchihr Khan commissioned a group of Persian astronomers and artists to produce a celestial globe, showing all the constellations introduced to the Islamic world by al-Sufi 666 years earlier. The globe with a diameter of 10.4'' (26.5 cm) was completed in 1633. It later became known as the Manuchihr Globe and is one of the outstanding examples of the Golden Age of Islamic astronomy. The stars near the south pole were unknown to al-Sufi. The void on the globe is filled with an inscription in a medallion, reading: By order of the library of the highly appreciated governor Manuchihr Khan, the noble, patronage of Prince of the Princes of Mashhad, God bless his government and his equity, the humble (slave): Hasan ibn Sa‘d al-Qa‘īnī, with the uncontested rarity of the Era and the time: Master Malik Husayn Naqqash (the painter), and Rezvan Beg Zarneshan (the Silversmith/ Inlayer), finished in the months of the year AH 1043. The websites themanuchihrglobe.tumblr.com and manuchihr.wordpress.com provide detailed images and descriptions. Click on the pictures for larger images; click on the constellation's name for a description specific to the Manuchihr Globe.

Manuchihr Globe Medallion and inscription

Andromeda al-mar’ah al-musalsalah The Chained Woman

Aquarius sākib al-ma’ The Water-Pourer

Aquila & Sagitta al-‘uqāb, The Eagle & al-sahm, The Arrow

Ara al-mijmarah The Censer

Argo Navis al-safīnah The Ship

Aries al-ḥamal The Ram

Boötes al-‘awwā’ The Howler, that is, the Ox-Driver

Cancer al-saraṭān The Crab

Canis Major al-kalb al-akbar The Greater Dog

Canis Mimor al-kalb al-aṣghar The Lesser Dog

Capricornus al-jadī The Goat

Cassiopeia dhāt al-kursī The Lady with a Chair

Centaurus al-Qinṭūrus Centaurus

Cepheus qīfā’us Cepheus

Cetus al-qītus Cetus

Corona Australis al-iklīl al-janūbī The Southern Crown

Corona Borealis al-fakkah The Crown

Corvus al-ghurāb The Raven

Crater al-bāṭiyah The Jar

Delphinus al-dalfīn The Dolphin

Draco al-tinnīn The Dragon

Equuleus qiṭ‘at al-faras Part of a Horse

Eridanus al-nahr The River

Gemini al-taw’amayn The Twins

Hercules al-jāthī The Kneeling Man

Hydra al-shujā‘ The Serpent

Leo al-asad The Lion

Lepus al-arnab The Hare

Libra al-mīzān The Balance

Lupus al-saba‘ The Wild Beast

Lyra al-mīzān The Balance

Ophiuchus & Serpens al-hawwā’ & al-ḥayyah The Serpent Charmer and the Serpent

Orion al-jabbār The Giant

Pegasus al-faras al-a‘ẓam The Larger Horse

Perseus al-barsha’us The Bearer of the Ogre’s Head

Pisces al-samakatayn The Fish

Piscis Austrinus al-samkah al-janūbīyah The Southern Fish

Sagittarius al-rāmī The Archer

Scorpius al-‘aqrab The Scorpion

Taurus al-thawr The Bull

Triangulum al-muthallath The Triangle

Ursa Major al-dubb al-akbar The Greater Bear

Ursa Minor al-dubb al-aṣghar The Lesser Bear

Virgo al-‘adhrā’ The Maiden

Manuchihr's Portrait (incorporated into the constllation Sagittarius)

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