The North Star Gazer: February 2018

The audience present in PyeongChang didn’t get to experience the
display; the light particles were only visible on the TV screen.

While watching the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, I heard a short two word phrase that grabbed my attention and curiosity: “star chart.” NBC host, Mike Tirico, said “ancient South Korean star chart” and I was curious to know more. He was explaining the dome on which the stars, as mapped by Korean astronomers in the 14th century, were projected. Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido (“The Chart of the Constellations and the Regions they Govern”) is the second oldest surviving astronomical map in the world, created in 1394 under the Joseon Dynasty. 264 constellations are named among the 1,467 stars whose sizes vary based on apparent

Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido

brightness in the night sky. The black marble stone, which measures 122.5 cm x 211 cm x 12 cm, is housed in the National Palace Museum of Korea in Seoul, deemed a National Treasure by the Korean government. The chart is pictured/depicted on the back of the Korean 10,000 won.

The armillary sphere is a revolving model of the celestial globe made up by rings and hoops once used by astronomers to plot the stars. – Tony Rice, WRAL.com

I found it interesting to learn about the many scientific advancements made by this society under King Taejo, comparing it to the more common South American societies. Two other astronomy technologies were created, the Angbuilgu sun dial and the Chiljeongsan astronomical calendar ("Calculation on the Motions of the Seven Celestial Determinants"). You can read all about the Joseon Dynasty here.