History
Hulegu Khan believed that many of his military successes were due to the advice of astronomers (who were also astrologers), especially of Nasīr al-Dīn al-Tūsī. Therefore when Tusi complained that his astronomical tables were outdated, Hulagu gave a permission to build a new observatory in a place of Tusi's choice. According to books like Jam-e-ttavarikhe rashidi (Persian: جامع التواريخ رشيدي), saf-e-elhofreh (Persian: صاف الحفره), favat-o-lvafiyyat (Persian: فوات الوفيات) the building of the rasad khaneh started in 1259 (657 A.H.). The library of the observatory contained 40,000 books on many subjects, related to astrology/astronomy as well as other topics. Bar-Hebraeus late in his life took residence close to the observatory in order to use the library for his studies. He has left a description of the observatory.
A number of other prominent astronomers worked with Tusi there, such as Muhyi al-Din al-Maghribi, Mu'ayyid al-Din al-'Urdi, from Damascus, and Qutb al-Din al-Shirazi. The observatory also attracted scholars from beyond the Islamic world, such as Hulagu's Chinese astronomer Fao Munji, whose Chinese astronomical experience brought further improvements to the Ptolemaic system initially used by Tusi. It also attracted scholars from the Byzantine Empire, most notably Gregory Choniades, who studied under Shams ad-Din al-Bukhari, an astronomer who worked at the famous observatory under al-Tusi. Choniades later translated the Zij-i Ilkhani, compiled at the observatory, into Byzantine Greek and took it to the Byzantine Empire. He may have been responsible for the transmission of the Tusi-couple to Europe, where it eventually influenced Copernican heliocentrism.
For his planetary models, Tusi invented a geometrical technique called a Tusi-couple, which generates linear motion from the sum of two circular motions. He also determined the precise value of 51 arcsec for the annual precession of the equinoxes and contributed to the construction and usage of some astronomical instruments including the astrolabe.
And after 12 years of intense work by Khaje Nassir od-Din Tussi and the other prominent scientists the observations and planetary models were compiled in the Zij-i Ilkhani, which later still influenced Copernicus. The tables were published during the reign of Abaqa Khan, Hulagu's son, and named after the patron of the observatory. They were popular until the 15th century.
It is not known with certainty until when it had been active. It turned into ruins as a result of frequent earthquakes and lack of funding by the state. Shah Abbas the Great arranged for repair, however, this was not commenced due to the king's early death.
The remains inspired Ulugh Beg to construct his observatory in Samarkand in 1428.
Hulegu's older brother, Khublai Khan also constructed an observatory, the Gaocheng Astronomical Observatory in China.
A star globe from the observatory made in 1279 is now preserved in Dresden, Germany. It is a rare example of decorative art from Iran of the 13th century, designed by M. Ordi and made of bronze, inlaid with silver and gold.
Read more about this topic: Maragheh Observatory
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