Stanford Scientists Reveal Oldest Map of the Night Sky, Previously Lost to Time
KQED • • science
Key Points:
- Scientists at Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SLAC) are using advanced X-ray fluorescence technology to uncover ancient Greek astronomical texts hidden beneath medieval religious writings in the Codex Climaci Rescriptus, a palimpsest manuscript.
- The original Greek text contains highly accurate star coordinates and notes from Hipparchus, erased and overwritten by Syriac religious texts; researchers aim to recover these to better understand early scientific knowledge and methods.
- The scanning process exploits differences in ink chemistry, allowing researchers to separate and visualize underlying text without damaging the fragile parchment, which was carefully preserved and transported for the study.
- Findings from the scans may resolve historical debates, such as disproving claims that Ptolemy plagiarized Hippar