Calculation of solar and lunar eclipses
from: Marvels of Creatures and Strange Things Existing, by al-Qazwini
(copy manuscript, 14th century)
Zakariya’ ibn Muhammad al-Qazwini (1203 -1283), was a Persian physician, astronomer, geographer and proto-science fiction writer. Born in the Persian town of Qazvin, he served as legal expert and judge (qadhi) in several localities in Persia and at Baghdad. He travelled around in Mesopotamia and Syria, and finally entered the circle patronized by the governor of Baghdad.
he also wrote a futuristic proto-science fiction tale entitled Awaj bin Anfaq, about a man who travelled to Earth from a distant planet
(via yama-bato)
