Al-Sufi (Azophi)

Known for

Book of Fixed Stars; first recorded description of the Andromeda Galaxy

Biography

Persian astronomer at the Buyid court in Isfahan and Shiraz.

Contributions

• Revised Ptolemy's star catalogue with his own observations of positions, brightness and colour
• Described the Andromeda Galaxy as a 'small cloud', the earliest known record of a galaxy beyond the Milky Way
• Gave Arabic star names, many still used today (e.g. Aldebaran, Altair)

Major works

• Kitab Suwar al-Kawakib al-Thabita (Book of Fixed Stars, 964)