The Supernova of 1054: First Discovery
This week we will be answering a lot of questions about our 1054 supernova and its resulting nebula. This time we will be focusing more on the broad human impact rather that the specific science as in earlier posts. The image below depicts an ancient Chinese star chart. And although I could not find a specific date, these type of start charts would have been a common way to keep track of the constellations around the time of the supernova.
What and where in the world?
According to the paper “A Reinterpretation of Historical References to the Supernova of A.D. 1054” the supernova was seen by various cultures earlier in the year 1054 then is commonly thought. The date most referred to is July 4th, 1054, which is the date that China likely first saw it. The paper mentions that is more likely that the supernova was seen closer April or May based on existing references to the phenomena. As seen in table below the supernova may have been seen as early as April 11th, 1054, in Constantinople (Collins, 1999). The paper is a great collection and organization of the historical records of the supernova, and I will likely reference it a lot.
Around the time of our supernova China struggled with Tibetan incursions and Japan had no set military so small groups like the samurai took matters into their own hands. In Europe a period called High Middle Ages began because of successful crop, while in Rome the church of Rome and the church of Constantinople excommunicated one another. During this time religion and military conquest were highly emphasized. But as mentioned in my most recent post, spirituality drove the study of astronomy at the time maintaining some global interest.
Let’s fast forward a bit…
Interest regarding the supernova and later the Crab Nebula somewhat fell off until about 1731 when amateur astronomer John Bevis discovered the nebula using a telescope. And as we know, the nebula was also “rediscovered” by Charles Messier 1758 when he was searching for comets in the night sky. The nebula got its name from Irish astronomer Lord Rosse in 1844 when he drew a picture of the nebula and noticed its resemblance to a crab. And now the nebula is captured on extensive space telescopes like the Hubble and James Webb telescopes.
Astronomical discoveries and “rediscoveries” act as catalysts for further research and exploration. They also form important parts of human history that most people often draw pride and a sense of togetherness from.
What’s next?
In my next post I am going to focus on a few cultures that were influenced by the supernova. I am going give historical and societal context for each place we visit to better understand the impact that the supernova had. Again, thank you for reading!
References
Emoore, C. (n.d.). Ancient Star Maps. Ancient Star Maps. http://christopheremoore.net/Ancient%20Star%20Maps/
Collins II, G. W., Claspy, W. P., & Martin, J. C. (1999). A Reinterpretation of Historical References to the Supernova of a.d. 1054. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 111(761), 871–880. https://doi.org/10.1086/316401
World History Timeline: 11th Century (1001 to 1100). (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2022, from http://www.fsmitha.com/time/ce11.htm
