Istanbul University hosted an international congress on the history of astronomy from November 21st to 24th, 2023. Organized by the Department of History of Science at the Faculty of Letters of Istanbul University in collaboration with the French Institute of Anatolian Studies, the conference titled “Channels of Transmission of Astronomical Knowledge in the Ottoman World (14th-18th Centuries)” took place at the Doctoral Hall of the Rectorate Building on November 21-22, and at the General Assembly Hall of the Faculty of Letters on November 23-24.
One of the objectives of this international conference was to explore the history of theoretical and applied astronomy techniques in the Ottoman world from the 14th to the 18th centuries, including all territories that were part of the Mediterranean and the Ottoman Empire. In pursuit of this goal, the conference focused on five themes: Tracing the Legacy of Astronomy through Libraries, Archives, and Museums; Politics, Religion, and Power in Relation to Astronomy and Astrology; Theories and Applications of Astronomy; Mysticism, Astrology, and Magic; Botany, Medicine, and Agriculture in Relation to Astronomy and Astrology.
The program, divided into fourteen sessions based on these themes, featured speakers residing in Turkey (16), as well as from Iran (7), France (2), the Netherlands (3), Russia (2), Thailand (2 joint presentations), Germany (2 joint presentations), India (3 joint presentations), and representatives from Scotland, Algeria, Egypt, Italy, Qatar, Poland, Spain, the United States, and Uzbekistan. Furthermore, session moderators, consisting of experts in the field, facilitated intense discussions on various perspectives regarding channels of Ottoman astronomical heritage, with participation from over fifty attendees each day and roundtable discussions featuring 30-45 minutes of evaluation and general questions at the end of each day. Additionally, on the fourth day of the conference, a poster session was organized where three students (two in a joint presentation) presented their posters in ten-minute sessions.
For more detailed information about the congress, see:
Jan P. Hogendijk, An interdisciplinary Congress on Ottoman Astronomy at Istanbul University, Osmanlı Bilimi Araştırmaları / Studies in Ottoman Science, vol. 25, Issue, 1, 2024, pp. 191-203.
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