100:, he sought to write tables that accounted for any situation and could be put to practical use. As he puts it: "Therefore to the praise of glorious God, the honor of my master, and the profit of scholars who wish to learn the workings of astronomical tables, I, John of Saxony, with God's aid intend to give examples of all the operations which are commonly performed with tables so that there may be no one henceforth who will shrink from the use and employment of tables of the stars because of the difficulty working with them."
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The canons of John of Saxony explained how one could find the planetary position (longitudes) at any given time. One would have to calculate the length of time between the basic year and the year sought. They would then divide them by mean figures of the planetary orbits, and add/subtract values to
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with limited modifications. These tables for calculating planetary positions, prepared under the auspices of
Alfonso X, were originally in Castillian. They were also used to derive ecliptic longitudes for planets for any chosen time and observer's position, lunar phases, lunar and solar eclipses,
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In order to study the tables, they were translated from
Castillian into Latin, which was the scholarly language of the day. This is due in large part to the Catholic upbringing of the day in medieval Europe. This act alone allowed greater access and understanding of astronomical work to that
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After translation and Canons were added to the
Alfonsine Tables, they were disseminated from Paris to the rest of medieval Europe. As they were received, the tables were converted to the local meridians for proper use. Although widely used, a published print version of the tables and John of
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multiplication. In addition to this, he divided the day into sixty parts rather than 24 hours, consistently representing time by sexagesimal fractions and multiples of a day. It is in this form that the
Alfonsine tables circulated in Western Europe for the next three centuries.
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John of Saxony was of the opinion that astronomers of that time wrote their works in such a confusing manner that those who weren't trained in the field couldn't comprehend nor use them appropriately. Under the tutelage of his master,
76:), an Arab scholar from the late 10th century. John of Saxony's commentary on this treatise is preserved in many manuscripts, several incunabula and old prints, the latest of which dates from the middle of the 16th century.
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John of Saxony is quoted in various medieval manuscripts and referenced as the author of various astronomical or astrological treatises, even though his authorship in some cases is questionable.
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as well as calendar dates. Like the 11th century
Toledan Tables before them, the Alfonsine Tables were based on the geocentric model of the planetary system as described in Ptolemy's
38:. His scholarly work is believed to date from the end of the 13th century into the mid 14th century. He spent most of his active career, from about 1327 to 1355, at the
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dating back to 1297 is attributed to John of Saxony even though the author is listed as
Iohannes Alemanus. The fact that the geographical longitudes of
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by his master, John of
Ligneres. His intent was to allow students at the University of Paris to utilize the astronomical tables.
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34:) was a medieval astronomer. Although his exact birthplace is unknown it is believed he was born in Germany, most likely
135:. Around 1320, the Alfonsine Tables appeared in Paris where they were studied at the University of Paris by astronomers
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Bolt, Marvin; Trimble, Virginia; Bracher, Katherine; Williams, Thomas; Hockey, Thomas (5 January 2009).
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for the years 1336 to 1380 that he computed for the meridian of Paris using the
Alfonsine tables.
65:, considered John's birthplace, among other facts is why some historians consider him the author.
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adjust for hours and minutes. To expedite these calculations he had an accompanying table of
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A History of Magic and
Experimental Science: & 4. Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries
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point. In 1327 he added an influential set of explanations and instructions (
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vol. 3, (New York: Columbia
University Press, 1934), pp. 253-8, 267.
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Glick, Thomas; Ivesey, Steven; Wallis, Faith (29 September 2005).
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vol. 3, (New York: Columbia University Press, 1934), pp. 262-6.
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Medieval Science Technology and Medicine: An Encyclopedia
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Saxony's Canons didn't exist. It wasn't until 1483 when
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The more widely recognized work by John of Saxony is his
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Liber Introductorius ad Magisterium Idiciorum Astrorum
86:which went through eleven printed editions, and an
79:Among his other contributions were a commentary on
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68:Viewed with less suspicion is his commentary on
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343:The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers
263:A History of Magic and Experimental Science,
398:A History of Magic and Experimental Science
174:in Venice published both. To date neither
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314:The Universities of Italian Renaissance
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182:' canons have been published in print.
120:are the mathematical calculations from
235:Introductorium ad judicia astronomiae
84:Introduction to the art of astrology,
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312:Grendler, Paul (29 September 2004).
251:. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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239:Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913).
275:Thorndike, Lynn (1 July 1934).
444:14th-century German scientists
345:. Springer. pp. 598–600.
318:Johns Hopkins University Press
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449:14th-century writers in Latin
139:, John of Saxony, and later
429:Medieval German astronomers
424:Medieval German astrologers
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16:Medieval German astrologer
285:Columbia University Press
151:) to the revision of the
439:14th-century astronomers
376:University of Cambridge
320:. pp. Chapter 12.
72:written by al-Qabisi (
368:"Astronomical Tables"
248:Catholic Encyclopedia
242:"Jean de Saxe"
366:Kusukawa, Sachiko.
40:University of Paris
24:Johannes de Saxonia
434:Astrological texts
419:Almanac compilers
180:Johannes de Muris
141:Johannes de Muris
32:Dancowe of Saxony
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287:. pp.
163:sexagesimal
46:Scholarship
413:Categories
327:0801880556
298:0231087977
221:140394766X
186:References
74:Alcabitius
28:John Danko
212:Routledge
63:Magdeburg
36:Magdeburg
133:Almagest
127:Almagest
89:Almanach
55:computus
289:258–259
122:Ptolemy
116:. The
112:on the
381:3 June
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149:Canons
110:Canons
22:(also
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59:Paris
383:2014
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