• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.37-54
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• 2013

China and Korea have a long history of star charts, dating from the prehistoric period. Historically, Korean astronomy has been deeply influenced by China over the last two thousand years, particularly on constellation system. Therefore, Chinese and Korean traditional star charts have many similarities in terms of shape of constellation, number of star, and so forth. Korean star charts, however, have lots of unique characteristics distinguishing from Chinese ones, such as, size of star and position of constellation. Overall knowledge of the Chinese star chart is required to study the Korean star chart. In this paper, I focus on introducing selected star charts in China and Korea. Although this review is very limited, I hope that this paper is helpful in research in the field of historical astronomy.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.147-157
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• 2011

I found evidence that Kim Y$\breve{o}$ng (金泳, 1749-1817) is the author of the Korean Poch'$\breve{o}$n'ga with New Charts published in 1792 by the Astronomical Bureau of the Chos$\breve{o}$n dynasty. I reconstructed a history of Kim Y$\breve{o}$ng from various literature remained in other persons' anthologies and governmental records. My findings on the author and publication year can help to solve the problem on the origin of star charts in the Poch'$\breve{o}$n'ga with New Charts. I also considered the changes of Chinese Bu-Tian-Ge and their star charts after Chongzhenglishu (崇禎曆書). I found that the new charts in the book of Huantiantushuo published by Li Mingche (李明徹, 1751-1832) in 1819 are approximately the same to those in the Poch'$\breve{o}$n'ga with New Charts by Kim Y$\breve{o}$ng in 1792.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.85.2-85.2
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• 2014

The origin of the Korean Screen Planisphere with both Traditional and New Star-Charts, made by Korean Astronomers in the Royal Astronomical Bureau of the Joseon Dynasty by adopting the knowledge of the European astronomy, is investigated by analyzing its inscriptions and star charts. The considerations on both the changes in notations or representations of names of asterisms and the naming taboos used in the Old-style planisphere imply that the star-chart is originated from either the Sukjong-Stele-Replica of Cheonsang-Yeolcha-Punyajido(天象列次分野之圖). The New style planisphere is just the reproduction of Huangdao-congxingtu (黃道總星圖), with the exception of the non-Chinese-traditional stars. The Huangdao-congxingtu was made in 1723 CE by Ignatius K$\ddot{o}$gler who was a Jesuit missionary and worked for the Bureau of Astronomy (欽天監) in the Qing Dyansty. I find that the star chart was imported in 1742 CE from the Qing by An Gukrin (安國麟) who was an astronomer in the Royal Astronomical Bureau of Joseon. The chart became model for the screen star-chart made in 1743 CE and now housed in Bopju temple. I found that the inscriptions are extracted from the sentences in both Xinzhi Lingtai Yixiangzhi (新製靈臺儀象志) and Qinding Yixiangkaocheng (欽定儀象考成). Korean historical records in either Daily Records of the Royal Secretariat of the Joseon Dynasty (承政院日記) or Annals of the Joseonn Dynasty (朝鮮王朝實錄) show that Xinzhi Lingtai-Yixiangzhi was imported from the Qing Dynasty in 1708 CE, and the Qinding Yixiangkaocheng was imported in 1766 CE. Thus, the Korean Screen Planisphere with both Old and New Star-charts was certainly made after 1766 CE.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.46-52
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• 2018

The objective of this study was to determine the status of star chart game applications in the Google play store in Korea. The share of game genres in paid and free star charts of game applications was searched. Also, the average reviewer's rating, average number of reviews, and average age rating based on the genre of paid and free star charts of game applications, and the average price of paid applications based on genre were analyzed. Hypothesis tests for the differences in average reviewer's rating, average number of reviews, average age rating according to the genre of game applications were performed. Also, hypothesis tests for the differences in average reviewer's rating, average number of reviews, average age rating between the paid and free game applications along with the hypothesis test for the differences in price according to the genre of paid game applications were performed. Lastly, hypothesis tests for the correlation between the start chart ranking and number of reviews in association with the correlation between the start chart ranking and reviewer's rating were performed. Statistically significant differences in average reviewer's rating, average number of reviews, average age rating according to the genre of game applications, and between the paid and free game applications were verified. However, the correlation between the start chart ranking and number of reviews in association with the correlation between the start chart ranking and reviewer's rating were not statistically significant.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.375-402
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• 2009

Korean historical constellations and their names are similar to Chinese ones. Although Korean historical astronomy is influenced by China, they have distinct differences in each shape and names of the constellations. We, therefore, compare Bocheonga (步天歌) of the early Joseon dynasty (朝鮮, $1392{\sim}1910$) preserved in Gyujanggark (奎章閣) with that of the Sui dynasty ((隋代, $581{\sim}618$ of China written by Wang Ximing(王希明) in terms of star charts and descriptions of the contents. We find out that the two books are partly different all over the books. First, there are definite differences in preface, three area of constellations (三垣) in the heaven, and the description of the Milky Way. Second, some of constellations show different in shape, the number of stars. Especially connecting pattern in some constellations shows different in each other. Third, Joseon Bocheonga describes their colors for some stars. These mean that Joseon has a unique tradition of star maps unlike Chinese one. We also summarize the differences and distinctive characteristics of Joseon star charts compared with Chinese ones.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.52.1-52.1
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• 2012

It is often said that there is little geometrical mind in Korean history. However, a method to project the surface of a sphere onto 2-dimensional plain was applied to the representative Korean star chart or Cheonsang Yeolcha Bunyajido (天象列次分野之圖). The method, called the equi-distant polar projection, was explained in detail in ancient Chinese history book of the Tang dynasty, which was originated from older history. Another method of the Mercator projection was introduced by the famous engineer Su Song (蘇頌) of the Song dynasty. The description has quite geometrical thoughts, especially the concept of infinity or convergence appears, However, this type of sky projection method was not widely used in east Asia. When the European Jesuits came to China to evangelize the Chinese people, they found that the Chinese people paid much attention to advanced European astronomical knowledge. Thus, they introduced the European astronomical knowledges into China, and the star chart was one of them. The projection method of the new charts were quite different from the Chinese tradition. When the Koreans brought those new star chart from China, they must have known the geometrical description of the method. The method was described in detail in a volume of Chongzhen Lishi (崇禎曆書) or Xiyang Xinfa Lishu (西洋新法曆書). The explanation consists of three part. One is the quantitative way; another is a geometrical way using axiomatic systems; and the other is the practical method to draw star chart with the geometical projection. However, when we see the Honcheon Jeondo (渾天全圖) that is thought to be duplicated by Kim Jeongho (金正浩), the new geometrical method was not so widely known to the Koreans. I will discuss the reason why the geometrical minds have not been widely adopted in the Korean civilization.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.51-62
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• 2015

I investigated a method for drawing the star chart in the planisphere Cheonsang-yeolcha-bunyajido. The outline of the star chart can be constructed by considering the astronomical information given in the planisphere alone and the drawing method described in Xin-Tangshu; further the chart can be completed by using additional information on the shape and linking method of asterisms out of an inherited star chart. The circles of perpetual visibility, the equator, and the circle of perpetual invisibility are concentric, and their common center locates the Tianshu-xing, which was defined to be a pole star in the Han dynasty. The radius of the circle of perpetual visibility was modified in accordance with the latitude of Seoul, whereas the other circles were drawn for the latitude of $35^{\circ}$, which had been the reference latitude in ancient Chinese astronomy. The ecliptic was drawn as an exact circle by parallel transference of the equator circle to fix the location of the equinoxes at the positions recorded in the epitaph of the planisphere. The positions of equinoxes originated from the Han dynasty. The 365 ticks around the boundary of the circle of perpetual invisibility were possibly drawn by segmenting the circumference with an arc length instead of a chord length with the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter as accurate as 3.14 presumed. The 12 equatorial sectors were drawn on the boundary of the star-chart in accordance with the beginning and ending lodge angles given in the epitaph that originated from the Han dynasty. The determinative lines for the 28 lunar lodges were drawn to intersect their determinative stars, but seven determinative stars are deviated. According to the treatises of the Tang dynasty, these anomalies were inherited from charts of the period earlier than the Tang dynasty. Thus, the star chart in Cheonsang-yeolcha-bunyajido preserves the old tradition that had existed before the present Chinese tradition reformed in approximately 700 CE. In conclusion, the star chart in Cheonsang-yeolcha-bunyajido shows the sky of the former Han dynasty with the equator modified to the latitude of Seoul.

• Publications of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.129-139
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• 2010

The Cowherd Star and the Weaving Maid Star have been famous stars in East Asian countries. Nowadays Altair is defined to be the Cowherd Star in public materials including science books, mass media, public outreach programs, and movies played in public planetariums and science museums. However, in astronomical books and star-charts in history, the Cowherd Big Star (牽牛大星) has been known to be Dabih or $\beta$ Cap in the constellation Capricorn, and the asterism Cowherd consists of six stars including Dabih. Since the same title is given to the different objects simultaneously, considerable misunderstanding and confusion among the public have occurred. In this paper we consider this problem in two aspects. One aspect is which star has been defined to be the Cowherd Star in ancient literatures; the other is which stars were regarded as the Cowherd or the Cowherd Star in the historical records of occultation or conjunction in History of Koryo, Annals of the Choson Dynasty, and Daily Records of Royal Secretariat of the Choson Dynasty. As a result, we see that Altair has been regarded as the Cowherd Star in folklore and literature, but Dabih has been defined to be the Cowherd Big Star in astronomical works. An explanation proposed by previous researchers on the reason why such double meanings have been appeared is introduced. In the explanation, the fact that the Altair was defined as the Cowherd Star in ancient times had not been handed over properly, and the name of Cowherd was later put to the Dabih and its surrounding five stars to form one of 28 lunar lodges. Based upon these facts, we suggest the following ideas: (1) Altair should be introduced to be the Cowherd Star in public-friendly programs, and Dabih should be noticed to be the Cowherd Big Star in the field of history of astronomy. Dabih should be added as the astronomical Cowherd Big Star in academic books such as a dictionary of astronomical terminology. (2) The Korean pronunciation for Altair should be al-tear instead of al-tairu in accordance with the definition in the astronomical terminology dictionary compiled by the Korean Astronomical Society.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.351-367
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• 2020

The pigments of three old and new celestial charts folding screens(『Celestial Chart(Folding Screen)』 and 『Old and New Celestial Charts, Eight-Panel Folding Screen』 of National Folk Museum of Korea and 『Koudou-Nanboku-Ryousouseizu』 of National Diet Library of Japan) were analyzed to estimate their dating. It was estimated that the 『Celestial Charts(Folding Screen)』 was painted using traditional pigments from the Joseon dynasty such as azurite, indigo lake, malachite, atacamite, vermilion, iron oxide, cochineal, gamboge, orpiment, lead white, talc and soot. The green and blue colors of the 『Old and New Celestial Charts, Eight-Panel Folding Screen』 and 『Koudou-Nanboku-Ryousouseizu』 were painted using artificial inorganic pigments such as emerald green and ultramarine blue. These pigments were imported from Europe post the mid-19th century. In the 『Old and New Celestial Chart, Eight-Panel Folding Screen』, only artificial inorganic pigments were used for green and blue colors. However in the 『Koudou-Nanboku-Ryousouseizu』, emerald green and atacamite in green color, and ultramarine blue and indigo lake in blue color were used together. Based on both the results of pigment analysis and the study of star charts and inscriptions, the 『Celestial Charts(Folding Screen)』 was painted post mid-18th century. The 『Koudou-Nanboku-Ryousouseizu』 and 『Old and New Celestial Charts, Eight-Panel Folding Screen』 were painted after green and blue artificial pigments were imported in the mid-19th century. The 『Koudou-Nanboku-Ryousouseizu』 in which both traditional and western artificial pigments were used, can be dated earlier than the 『Old and New Celestial Chart, Eight-Panel Folding Screen』.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.589-602
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• 2009

We investigated 'Song of the Sky Pacers, Adopted to the New Methods'(新法步天歌), the latest version of Joseon's 'Song of the Sky Pacers'(步天歌). Due to the influence of new knowledge on Chinese asterisms imported from the Ching dynasty, 'Song of the Sky Pacers with New Star-Charts' was written in the eighteenth century. However, the disagreement between song and star-charts was causing confusion in practical applications such as Joseon's national examination for selecting astronomers. In order to improve this situation, Royal Observatory of the Joseon dynasty (觀象監) published 'Song of the Sky Pacers, Adopted to the New Methods' based upon star-charts and song in the Sequel of I-Hsiang-K'ao-ch'eng (欽定儀象考成續編). The New Song was edited by a middle-class professional astronomer Yi Jun-yang (李俊養), and corrected by a nobleman Nam Byeong-gil (南秉吉). We establish a brief biography of Yi Jun-yang. The New Song preserves the genuine characteristics of previous Joseon's Song including the format of title of each lunar mansion and description on the location of the Milky Way in the asterisms. The description of the Milky Way was newly written based on the data in volume 31 and 32 of the Sequel of I-Hsiang-K'ao-ch'eng.