• Description

It is well known that Astronomy in Egypt started a long time ago, and Egypt is considered as one of the oldest countries whose people studied astronomy. The Egyptian monuments at Nabta Playa (Neolithic, which antedates Stonehenge by a millennium), the Pyramids at Giza (4th Dynasty), Abu Simbel Temple (21st Dynasty) and the zodiac at the Temple of Denderah (Ptolemaic), all bear distinct evidence that Egyptians were very much preoccupied with observing heavenly bodies and their motion, with unrivalled skill. The Alexandria school (330 BC -168 AD) attracted famous scientists to come to Egypt, where the circumference of the Earth was measured for the first time by Eratosthenes from his observations in Aswan, and the famous Almagest (The Great Compilation), a mathematical and astronomical treatise proposing the complex motions of the stars and planetary paths, was written in the 2nd century AD by Ptolemy of Alexandria, which remained valid till the 16th century. During the Arab period, astronomical sciences continued to advance in Egypt by observing many stars and Nebulae (although Nebulae were discovered in the 20th century, some were earlier observed by the Arabs). Nowadays, most of the star names are of Arabic origin, like Aljabir, Altair, Aldabaran. Furthermore, some astronomical instruments like the astrolabe were efficiently used by Arab navigators. The Arabs, under Fatimid rule, erected many observatories in Egypt, such as at the Moqattam Hills east of Cairo (11 th century AD), notably EI-Guyushy and the EI-Maamoon Observatories. IbnYunus wrote in that period an accurate astronomical table known as al-Zi} al-Kabir alHakimi (Big Hakimi Zij), and also wrote the Kitab bulugh al-umniyya (liOn the Attainment of Desire"), a work concerning the heliacal risings of Sirius, and on predictions concerning what day of the week the Christian Coptic year will start on. His works are noted for being ahead of their time, having been based on almost modern-like meticulous calculations and attention to detail. The crater Ibn Yunus on the Moon is named after him.  Modern Astronomy in Egypt Modem Egyptian astronomy was revived and developed at the hands of the first modem notable Egyptian astronomer, Mahmoud Pacha EI-Falaki (1815-1885), who pioneered the Egyptian Renaissance in the mid 19th century. EI-Falaki (the astronomer) became his family name. In 1842, Mahmoud decided to study astronomy and practiced at the first modem Egyptian Observatory at the Boulaq Rassd-khana (Observatory), built in 1840. He was commissioned by Khedive Ismail to observe the solar eclipse in the 1860s, which made news in the country. Another observatory was built in 1865 at Abbasiya, NE of Cairo (Fig. 1), at his advice and supervision. It was later transferred