666 Ibn QotaybaKs Adab at Ratio' on Arabic Astronomy. [Dec. 

 ,r~° ' * ?' * * 9 *> ' *> 



" On the heaven, stars, seasons, and winds." — "All which is above 

 you is called sama (heaven) ; therefore the roof of the tent is called 

 sama, and a cloud is called sama. It is said in the Qoran, " We have 

 sent from the sama, i. e. from the cloud blessed water." Falak (sphere) 

 is the name for the orbit of such stars as it contains. It is said in the 

 Qoran ' They all swim in a falak.' The name falak has been chosen 

 (to designate a sphere of the heaven) on account of its round shape ; 

 for you say the falkah (ball) of the spindle, you also say the breast of 

 a woman became falak (round). 



A sphere has two opposite holes ; one in the south and one in the 

 north. — The milkyway is called majarrah because it looks like a beam 

 (supporting a vault) ; it is also called the sharaj (fissure) of heaven and 

 the gate of heaven. The singular of boruj (signs of the Zodiac) is 

 burj ; it means fortress or castle (German, Burg) ; in this sense the word 

 is used in the Qoran; 'If you are in strong boruj (fortresses).' The 

 names of the signs of the Zodiac are : the ram, bull, transit, crab, lion, 

 ear of corn, balance, scorpion, bow, goat, the water-basket, and the fish. 



There are twenty-eight mansions of the moon. The moon is every 

 clay of the month in another mansion. It is said in the Qoran we 

 have appointed for the moon mansions until she returns to her former 

 place." The Bedouins were of opinion that the term "anwa" (heliacal 

 settings), is exclusively applied to the mansions of the moon ; and they 

 called them the stars of occupation, for the moon occupies every night 

 another mansion. 



The year has four seasons : the autumn is now called (by the Arabs 

 settled out of their native country) Kharyf ; but the Bedouins called it 

 Raby (fresh grass), for in that season falls the first rain. It is called 

 Kharyf, because people cut their crops in that season. It begins when 

 the sun enters Libra. The sun passes during this season through 

 the following mansions of the moon : ghafr (occultation), zobany, iklyl 

 (crown), qalb (heart), shawlah (the curvature of a tail when raised), 

 na'ayim (the ostriches), baldah (fissure). 



Winter begins when the sun enters into the sign of Capricorn. He 

 passes through the following mansions of the moon in this season : sa'd 



