Cheomseongdae

For other uses, see Kaesong Chomsongdae.

35°50′05.0″N 129°13′08.4″E / 35.834722°N 129.219000°E / 35.834722; 129.219000

Cheomseongdae
Korean name
Hangul
첨성대
Hanja
瞻星臺
Revised RomanizationCheomseongdae
McCune–ReischauerCh'ŏmsŏngdae

Cheomseongdae (Korean: 첨성대; Hanja: 瞻星臺; lit. star-gazing tower) is an astronomical observatory in Gyeongju, South Korea. Cheomseongdae is the oldest surviving astronomical observatory in Asia,[1][2][3] and possibly even the world.[4][5][6] It was constructed in the 7th century in the kingdom of Silla, whose capital was Seorabeol, or present-day Gyeongju (경주). Cheomseongdae was designated as the country's 31st national treasure on December 20, 1962.[7] It forms a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other Gyeongju Historic Areas.

Modeled on Baekje's Jeomseongdae, which now exists only in historical records, the Cheomseongdae influenced the construction of the Japanese Senseidai (占星台) observatory in 675, and Duke Zhou's observatory in China in 723.[8]

  1. ^ Storey, Glenn (2006-04-30). Urbanism in the Preindustrial World: Cross-Cultural Approaches. University of Alabama Press. p. 201. ISBN 9780817352462. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  2. ^ Dicati, Renato (2013-06-18). Stamping Through Astronomy. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 30. ISBN 9788847028296. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  3. ^ Bernardi, Gabriella (2016-03-14). The Unforgotten Sisters: Female Astronomers and Scientists before Caroline Herschel. Springer. p. 40. ISBN 9783319261270. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  4. ^ Kelley, David H.; Milone, Eugene F. (2011-02-16). Exploring Ancient Skies: A Survey of Ancient and Cultural Astronomy. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 79. ISBN 9781441976246. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  5. ^ Park, Chang-bom (January 2008). Astronomy: Traditional Korean Science. Ewha Womans University Press. p. 63. ISBN 9788973007790. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  6. ^ Selin, Helaine (11 November 2013). Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 503. ISBN 9789401714167. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  7. ^ Park Seong-rae. "The history of science in Korea". Indiana University Resources. Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2006.
  8. ^ Park, Changbom (January 2008). Astronomy: Traditional Korean Science. Ewha Womans University Press. p. 65. ISBN 9788973007790. Retrieved 24 March 2017.