• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.207-222
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• 2018

Celestial Chart Stones (original and reproduction) in the National Palace Museum are representative scientific cultural heritage of Korea. Material analysis and nondestructive deterioration assessment were conducted for long-term preservation of these stones. Material analysis revealed that the original was composed of slate and the reproduction was made of dolostone. The original consists of quartz, mica, dolomite minerals, while the reproduction was made up of dolomite, calcite and forsterite. Major deterioration factors of the original stone were cracks and breakouts. In case of the reproduction, scratches and artificial materials were mainly observed. The green and black surface contaminants present at the sides and back of the two celestial chart stones were interpreted as resin-based paint materials. The physical property evaluation using ultrasonic velocity showed a low velocity in the upper left side of the original, while the front right side of the reproduction showed a weak property. Meanwhile, the To-Tc method using ultrasonic velocity was applied to major cracks that impede stability of the original. As a result, it has been calculated that the beginning and the center of the crack are the deepest.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.29 no.spc1
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• pp.433-437
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• 1996

We have analyzed the content of the Korean stone star chart. Ch'on-Sang-Yul-Cha-Bun-Ya-Ji-Do(here-after Ch'on-Sang-Do). In the star map we have found 1468 stars, 4 more than the Chinese star catalog Bo-Chun-Ga. The four extra stars form a constellation, Jong Dae Boo. The map projection law used in the star chart is found to be the polar equtorial and equidistance projection. The linear distance of an object on Ch'on-Sang-Do from the center is linearly proportional to the north polar angular distance. We have found from a statistical analysis that most stars with declination lower than 50 are at positions representing the epoch of around the first century. On the other hand, stars near the north pole with declination higher than 50 are at the epoch of about 1300, which is close to the time the chart was engraved. This implies that the original Ko-Gu-Rye Dynasty's star chart has been revised by astronomers of Cho-Sun Dynasty. We have also shown that stars on Ch'on-Sang-Do are engraved in such a way that their area is linearly proportional to the visual magnitude.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.119-128
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• 2010

Gaecheonjeol is the National Foundation day of Korea when people hold a harvest ceremony. Nowadays, two representative harvest ceremonies of Korea are performed at Mt. Mari (摩利山) and Mt. Taebaek (太白山) on Gaecheonjeol (October 3rd). We study 28 flags with constellations appearing in the ceremony of Mt. Taebaek. These flags are lying in the outer of the circular stone wall during the ceremony. They represent an oriental heavenly star chart. We examine the shape, the connecting-pattern, the name, and the number of constellations drawn in the flags, and find several errors, such as, a wrong position, a typo of name, an irregular size, an omission, and so forth. Traditionally, the 28 oriental constellations are usually divided into four groups and each group has its own colour for each direction: Blue (E), Black (N), White (W), and Red (S). For the constellation flags in Mt. Taebaek, the colour of the flags is painted based on geographical directions, but the constellations are arranged followed by the direction of the celestial sphere. Thus, constellations in the northern and southern parts are counterchanged. Finally, we suggest some possible criteria for constellation map of the flags in this paper. CheonSangYeolChaBunYaJiDo (天象列次分野之圖) and CheonMunRyuCho (天文類抄) can be essential references for correcting constellations drawn in the flags of Mt. Taebaek.