Research process and background of astronomers in Edo period

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K00261
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01080:Sociology of science, history of science and technology-related
• Research Institution: Administrative Agency for Osaka City Museums
• Principal Investigator: Kazu Tsuguto 地方独立行政法人大阪市博物館機構(大阪市立美術館、大阪市立自然史博物館、大阪市立東洋陶磁美術館、大阪, 大阪市立科学館, 課長 (90853622)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 幕府天文方 / 紅葉山文庫 / 天体観測機器 / もの使い / 研究過程

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focused on Japanese Shogunate astronomers from the mid-18th century to the early 19th century, and aimed to clarify the process and background of their research. In this study, we investigated how Shogunate astronomers used the tools. In particular, we conducted research from two perspectives: (1) to understand what books in the Shogunate library "momijiyama bunko" were used by the Shogunate astronomers and how they used them, and (2) to understand the structure of astronomical observation equipment, and how the observation data was used.
As a result, we clarified the process by which researchers understood knowledge from books and used it in creating calendars and astronomical observations, as well as the research environment behind this.

Free Research Field

科学史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、近世の天文暦学者たちの研究過程を明らかにする上で、「ものを使う」という視点から考察を行った。本研究で得られた成果を、従来からある「ものづくり」の視点と合わせることにより、精密な観測機器を作り、それを用いて正確な観測データを得て、データをもとに正確な暦法を作る、という暦学者たちの研究の一連の流れを俯瞰し、研究の背景にある彼らの考え方を理解するという、新しい視点を示すことができた。