Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Nahawandi (Persian: احمد نهاوندى), also called al-Nahawandi, was an 8th/9th century Persian astronomer. His name indicates that he was from Nahavand, now in modern Iran.

Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Nahawandi'
احمد نهاوندى
Bornfl. 8/9th century
Academic work
EraIslamic Golden Age
Main interestsAstronomy

Life

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Al-Nahawandi lived and worked at the Academy of Gundishapur, in Khuzestan, Iran, at the time of Yahya ibn Khalid ibn Barmak, the provincial governor and all-powerful long-time vizier to Caliph Harun al-Rashid. Al-Nahawandi is reported to have been making astronomical observations at the academy in around 800.[1] He and the astronomer and mathematician Mashallah ibn Athari were among the earliest Islamic era astronomers who flourished during the reign of al-Mansur, the second Abbasid caliph.[citation needed]

Works

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Al-Nahawandi compiled zijes (astronomical tables) under the title Mushtamil.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Frye 2000, p. 163.
  2. ^ Suter 1900, p. 10.

Sources

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  • Frye, Richard Nelson (2000). The Golden Age of Persia. London: Phoenix Press. ISBN 978-1-84212-011-8.
  • Suter, Heinrich (1900). Die Mathematiker und Astronomen der Araber und ihre Werke (in German). Leipzig: Teubner. p. 10. OCLC 230703086.

Further reading

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