Who is maryam al astrolabi?

Answer 1

In the 10th century, a Muslim woman named Maryam al-Ijliya, also known as Mariam al Astrulabi, took the craft of building astrolabes to the next level. An astrolabe is an ancient device used to measure time and the position of the sun and stars.

Mariam is known for her academic brilliance and an exceptionally focused mind that lay the foundation for managing the transportation and communication using astrolabes.

Born in Syria during the 10th century, her proclivity in developing astrolabes was inspired by his father, known as Al- Ijliyy al-Asturlabi, who was apprenticed to an astrolabe maker in Baghdad.

The design of an astrolabe also required Mariam to work with complex mathematical calculations and precision, but she gradually mastered the designs. This impressed Sayf Al Dawla, the founder of the Emirate of Aleppo that encompassed most of northern Syria and parts of western Jazira. He reigned from 944 to 967 AD.

Al Dawla found Mariam’s works very intricate and innovative. As her fame started to grow, he decided to employ her in the court in Aleppo. Besides this. she also helped develop navigation and timekeeping techniques during that time.

How do astrolabes invented by Mariam help astronomy?

An astrolabe is a device that uses astral bodies like the sun and stars to either tell your position in latitude, or tell the local time. It can also be used to measure celestial events like the wobble of the Earth's axis.

It consists of a disk of metal or wood with the circumference marked off within degrees. There was also a movable pointer pivoted at the centre of the disk called alidade. They were useful in determining the position of the sun, moon, stars and the planets which would be used to find the Qibla, determine prayer times and the initial days of Ramadan and Eid.

On the other hand, they were also used in the subjects of astronomy, Astrology and horoscopes.

With an astrolabe, astronomers could calculate the position of celestial objects, the time of day (or night), the time of year, the altitude of any object, the latitude and much more.

The significant contributions of Mariam in astronomy were officially recognised when the main-belt asteroid, 7060 Al-Ijliyye, was named after her following the discovery of Henry E. Holt at Palomar Observatory in 1990.

Some academic works showed evidence which points out that the astrolabe made by Mariam could be used to precisely establish the mathematical positions of the stars and other celestial objects despite her not having a class in mathematics. In linking mathematics with fine craftsmanship, coupled with excellent metallurgical knowledge, she demonstrated her skills and high level of intellect, which was evidence of her contributions to modern astronomy and to the Islamic religion as well.

It is imperative to note that the astrolabe was invented by the Greeks who used it to measure the latitude.

In 2016, science-fiction writer Nnedi Okorafor’s novel called ‘Binti’ in which the central character was Mariam received the Nebula Award. Mariam was the inspiration behind the protagonist in her Science Fiction novella, Binti.

Okorafor stated that she learned about Mariam at a book festival in the UAE. The eponymous main character in Binti becomes a young woman who is an expert at crafting astrolabes.

Answer 2

she lived in the tenth century in Aleppo, Syria and was a famous scientist who designed and constructed astrolabes.

Astrolabes were global positioning instruments that determine the position of the sun and planets, so they were used in the fields of astronomy, astrology and horoscopes.

Her hand-crafted designs were so intricate and innovative that she was employed by the ruler of the city, Sayf Al Dawla, from 944 AD until 967 AD. She will always be remembered in history for her genius designs.