{"id":5275,"date":"2026-08-30T19:26:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T19:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/?p=5275"},"modified":"2026-08-30T19:26:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T19:26:27","slug":"les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/","title":{"rendered":"Les arpenteurs du ciel, des terrasses de M\u00e9sopotamie au t\u00e9lescope Gaia"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><em>Entretien (in\u00e9dit)<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>1) Les M\u00e9sopotamiens n&#8217;ont-ils pas \u00e9t\u00e9 les premiers \u00e0 tenter de dresser des listes d&#8217;\u00e9toiles\u00a0? Et il semble qu&#8217;Hipparque s&#8217;appuie sur leurs outils (comme le calcul sexag\u00e9simal) pour faire ses propres observations\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/babylone_01\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5277\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5277 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/babylone_01.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"431\" height=\"286\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5278\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5278\" style=\"width: 174px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/mul-apin\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5278\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5278\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/MUL-APIN.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"174\" height=\"239\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/MUL-APIN.jpg 745w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/MUL-APIN-327x450.jpg 327w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 174px) 100vw, 174px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5278\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Il y a trois mille ans, les M\u00e9sopotamiens consignaient en \u00e9criture cun\u00e9iforme leurs observations astronomiques sur des tablettes d\u2019argile, par exemple la constellation de la Charrue (Mul Apin).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Les M\u00e9sopotamiens ont en effet dress\u00e9 des listes d\u2019\u00e9toiles, notamment dans le trait\u00e9 babylonien MUL.APIN, compil\u00e9 autour du d\u00e9but du Ier mill\u00e9naire av. J.-C. et conserv\u00e9 dans des copies plus tardives. MUL.APIN \u00e9num\u00e8re des \u00e9toiles et constellations, les r\u00e9partit selon trois grandes zones du ciel et donne des informations pratiques comme les levers h\u00e9liaques, les culminations, les constellations sur le chemin de la Lune, etc<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">L&#8217;astronome grec Hipparque (IIe si\u00e8cle avant l&#8217;\u00e8re commune) s\u2019est tr\u00e8s probablement appuy\u00e9 sur des outils et donn\u00e9es babyloniens, notamment le calcul sexag\u00e9simal, les p\u00e9riodes astronomiques et certaines observations anciennes. Mais son catalogue stellaire n\u2019est pas une simple copie d\u2019un catalogue m\u00e9sopotamien : il transforme cet h\u00e9ritage dans le cadre grec de la g\u00e9om\u00e9trie c\u00e9leste, de la mesure angulaire et de la th\u00e9orie des mouvements.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/unbekannt_-_hipparchus_ancient_greek_astronomer_2nd_century_bc_c1880_-_meisterdrucke-796160\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5281\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5281\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unbekannt_-_Hipparchus_Ancient_Greek_astronomer_2nd_century_BC_c1880_-_MeisterDrucke-796160.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1260\" height=\"771\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unbekannt_-_Hipparchus_Ancient_Greek_astronomer_2nd_century_BC_c1880_-_MeisterDrucke-796160.jpg 1260w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unbekannt_-_Hipparchus_Ancient_Greek_astronomer_2nd_century_BC_c1880_-_MeisterDrucke-796160-450x275.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unbekannt_-_Hipparchus_Ancient_Greek_astronomer_2nd_century_BC_c1880_-_MeisterDrucke-796160-1024x627.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unbekannt_-_Hipparchus_Ancient_Greek_astronomer_2nd_century_BC_c1880_-_MeisterDrucke-796160-768x470.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/hipparque-alexandre\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5282\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5282 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Hipparque-Alexandre.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"407\" height=\"662\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Hipparque-Alexandre.jpg 760w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Hipparque-Alexandre-277x450.jpg 277w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Hipparque-Alexandre-630x1024.jpg 630w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>2) On a longtemps soup\u00e7onn\u00e9 Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e d&#8217;avoir plagi\u00e9 le travail d&#8217;Hipparque. Pourquoi cette suspicion\u00a0? Et en quoi la r\u00e9cente d\u00e9couverte de fragments du catalogue d&#8217;Hipparque vient-elle le r\u00e9habiliter\u00a0?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Dans l\u2019Almageste, Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e donne un catalogue d\u2019environ 1022 \u00e9toiles, organis\u00e9 en constellations, avec des coordonn\u00e9es \u00e9cliptiques. Il \u00e9crit au II\u1d49 si\u00e8cle apr. J.-C., alors qu\u2019Hipparque avait travaill\u00e9 environ trois si\u00e8cles plus t\u00f4t.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Le soup\u00e7on ancien repose surtout sur le fait que les longitudes stellaires de Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e pr\u00e9sentent un d\u00e9calage syst\u00e9matique. Certains historiens ont cru que Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e avait repris les positions d\u2019Hipparque et leur avait simplement ajout\u00e9 une correction de pr\u00e9cession. Soup\u00e7on renforc\u00e9 par le fait que Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e cite Hipparque \u00e0 plusieurs reprises, et que le catalogue d\u2019Hipparque \u00e9tait perdu. On pouvait donc imaginer que l\u2019<em>Almageste<\/em> conservait en r\u00e9alit\u00e9, sous le nom de Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e, un catalogue d\u2019Hipparque corrig\u00e9.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/ptolemee-almageste\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5283\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5283\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-Almageste.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"809\" height=\"498\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-Almageste.jpg 809w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-Almageste-450x277.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-Almageste-768x473.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 809px) 100vw, 809px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5302\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5302\" style=\"width: 474px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/ptolemee-et-catalogue\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5302\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5302\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-et-catalogue-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"474\" height=\"316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-et-catalogue-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-et-catalogue-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-et-catalogue-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-et-catalogue-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-et-catalogue.jpg 1846w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5302\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e, savant grec du IIe si\u00e8cle, est ici repr\u00e9sent\u00e9 mesurant la distance Terre-Lune en utilisant un quadrant. A droite, traduction latine d&#8217;un extrait de son catalogue d&#8217;\u00e9toiles publi\u00e9 dans l&#8217;Almageste<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">En 2022, des fragments du catalogue d\u2019Hipparque ont \u00e9t\u00e9 retrouv\u00e9s. Ils montrent que les donn\u00e9es d\u2019Hipparque ne co\u00efncident pas simplement avec celles de Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e. Autrement dit, le catalogue de Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e n\u2019est pas une copie m\u00e9canique du catalogue d\u2019Hipparque. Les fragments montrent ensuite que le catalogue d\u2019Hipparque \u00e9tait probablement tr\u00e8s pr\u00e9cis, \u00e0 environ un degr\u00e9 pr\u00e8s.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5286\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5286\" style=\"width: 652px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/fragment-hipparque\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5286\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5286 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Fragment-Hipparque.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"652\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Fragment-Hipparque.jpg 652w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Fragment-Hipparque-450x245.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 652px) 100vw, 652px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5286\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">L&#8217;imagerie par fluorescence sur le palimpseste du &#8220;Codex climaci rescriptus&#8221; a permis de r\u00e9cup\u00e9rer des textes effac\u00e9s, notamment des fragments du catalogue d\u2019\u00e9toiles d\u2019Hipparque r\u00e9dig\u00e9 au IIe si\u00e8cle av. J.-C.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">La d\u00e9couverte affaiblit fortement l\u2019accusation contre Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e en tant que \u00ab\u00a0voleur\u00a0\u00bb d\u2019Hipparque. Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e a vraisemblablement utilis\u00e9 plusieurs sources : Hipparque, peut-\u00eatre d\u2019autres catalogues interm\u00e9diaires, et probablement certaines observations propres. D\u2019autre part, elle confirme qu\u2019Hipparque n\u2019\u00e9tait pas seulement un pr\u00e9curseur, mais bien l\u2019auteur d\u2019un v\u00e9ritable projet de catalogue stellaire quantifi\u00e9, avec coordonn\u00e9es, d\u2019un niveau de pr\u00e9cision remarquable pour le II\u1d49 si\u00e8cle av. J.-C.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Hipparque et Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e font chacun l\u2019objet d\u2019un chapitre de mon roman \u00ab Le b\u00e2ton d\u2019Euclide \u00bb (JC Latt\u00e8s, 2001 ; Livre de poche)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/batoneuclide-original-et-poche\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5303\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-5303\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/batonEuclide-original-et-poche-1024x831.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"474\" height=\"385\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/batonEuclide-original-et-poche-1024x831.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/batonEuclide-original-et-poche-450x365.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/batonEuclide-original-et-poche-768x623.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/batonEuclide-original-et-poche.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>3) Comment Hipparque parvient-il a une telle pr\u00e9cision dans ses mesures (exactitude d&#8217;environ un degr\u00e9) \u00e0 l&#8217;\u0153il nu\u00a0?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Hipparque peut atteindre une exactitude de l\u2019ordre du degr\u00e9 parce que c\u2019est une pr\u00e9cision angulaire accessible \u00e0 l\u2019\u0153il nu avec les bons instruments qui existaient \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9poque &#8211; comme les <strong>dioptres<\/strong>, les r\u00e8gles de vis\u00e9e, les cercles gradu\u00e9s ou les sph\u00e8res armillaires.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Un degr\u00e9, c\u2019est environ deux diam\u00e8tres apparents de la Lune. \u00c0 l\u2019\u0153il nu, on peut facilement distinguer des \u00e9carts bien plus petits que cela entre deux \u00e9toiles brillantes, surtout si l\u2019on utilise ces dispositifs de vis\u00e9e. La difficult\u00e9 n\u2019est donc pas de \u00ab\u00a0voir\u00a0\u00bb un degr\u00e9, mais de rapporter correctement les positions des \u00e9toiles \u00e0 un syst\u00e8me de coordonn\u00e9es c\u00e9lestes. Hipparque b\u00e9n\u00e9ficiait justement de la tradition babylonienne pour les outils num\u00e9riques. Le calcul sexag\u00e9simal est tr\u00e8s commode pour les angles\u00a0:\u00a0 la division du cercle en 360 degr\u00e9s, subdivisions en minutes, fractions sexag\u00e9simales permet de noter et de comparer des positions avec une finesse bien sup\u00e9rieure \u00e0 une simple description qualitative.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/unknown_artist_-_claude_ptolemy_ca_100_-_ca_170_greek_scholar_and_astronomer_in_the_alexandria_-_meisterdrucke-927617\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5289\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5289\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unknown_Artist_-_Claude_Ptolemy_ca_100_-_ca_170_Greek_scholar_and_astronomer_in_the_Alexandria_-_MeisterDrucke-927617.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1260\" height=\"867\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unknown_Artist_-_Claude_Ptolemy_ca_100_-_ca_170_Greek_scholar_and_astronomer_in_the_Alexandria_-_MeisterDrucke-927617.jpg 1260w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unknown_Artist_-_Claude_Ptolemy_ca_100_-_ca_170_Greek_scholar_and_astronomer_in_the_Alexandria_-_MeisterDrucke-927617-450x310.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unknown_Artist_-_Claude_Ptolemy_ca_100_-_ca_170_Greek_scholar_and_astronomer_in_the_Alexandria_-_MeisterDrucke-927617-1024x705.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unknown_Artist_-_Claude_Ptolemy_ca_100_-_ca_170_Greek_scholar_and_astronomer_in_the_Alexandria_-_MeisterDrucke-927617-768x528.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>4) Quel est l&#8217;apport des savants arabes aux catalogues d&#8217;\u00e9toiles\u00a0?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">L\u2019apport des savants arabes (il vaudrait mieux parler de l\u2019astronomie du monde islamique m\u00e9di\u00e9val, \u00e9crite en arabe mais aussi en persan) est consid\u00e9rable.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Ils ont d\u2019abord sauv\u00e9 et transmis l\u2019h\u00e9ritage grec\u00a0: \u00a0\u00e0 partir du IX\u1d49 si\u00e8cle, l\u2019Almageste de Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e est traduit en arabe et devient la base de l\u2019astronomie math\u00e9matique.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5290\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5290\" style=\"width: 392px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/ptolemee-almageste_arabe\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5290\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-5290\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-Almageste_arabe.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"392\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-Almageste_arabe.jpg 392w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Ptolemee-Almageste_arabe-294x450.jpg 294w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 392px) 100vw, 392px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5290\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Extrait du catalogue d&#8217;\u00e9toiles de l&#8217;Almageste traduit en arabe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Mais les astronomes islamiques ne sont pas de simples copistes\u00a0: ils confrontent Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e \u00e0 leurs propres observations, corrigent des erreurs, adaptent les longitudes \u00e0 la pr\u00e9cession, et int\u00e8grent les noms d\u2019\u00e9toiles utilis\u00e9s par les B\u00e9douins.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Le cas majeur est al-\u1e62ufi, qui au Xe si\u00e8cle compose le \u00ab\u00a0Livre des \u00e9toiles fixes\u00a0\u00bb, dans lequel il reprend la structure du catalogue de Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e en l\u2019accompagnant de descriptions, de corrections, de noms arabes et surtout de magnifiques illustrations des constellations. Beaucoup de noms encore employ\u00e9s aujourd\u2019hui \u2013 comme Ald\u00e9baran, Alta\u00efr, Deneb, Rigel, B\u00e9telgeuse, Algol, etc. \u2014 viennent de cette m\u00e9diation arabe.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5304\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5304\" style=\"width: 474px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/al-sufi-orion-et-argo\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5304\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5304\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Al-Sufi-Orion-et-Argo-1024x679.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"474\" height=\"314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Al-Sufi-Orion-et-Argo-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Al-Sufi-Orion-et-Argo-450x298.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Al-Sufi-Orion-et-Argo-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Al-Sufi-Orion-et-Argo-1536x1019.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Al-Sufi-Orion-et-Argo.jpg 1882w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5304\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Constellations d&#8217;Orion et du Navire Argo chez Al-Sufi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/couverture-3\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5293\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-5293\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Couverture-279x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"113\" height=\"182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Couverture-279x450.jpg 279w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Couverture-635x1024.jpg 635w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Couverture.jpg 673w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 113px) 100vw, 113px\" \/><\/a>L\u2019apog\u00e9e des tables astronomiques et catalogues islamique est atteint avec les Tables sultaniennes, li\u00e9es \u00e0 Ulugh Beg, prince timouride et astronome qui fonde au XVe si\u00e8cle un grand observatoire \u00e0 Samarcande (dont j\u2019ai racont\u00e9 la vie et l\u2019\u0153uvre dans ma biographie romanc\u00e9e \u00ab\u00a0Ulugh Beg, L\u2019astronome de Samarcande, JC Latt\u00e8s, 2015).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5305\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5305\" style=\"width: 474px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/ulughbeg-et-observatoire\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5305\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5305\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/UlughBeg-et-observatoire-1024x462.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"474\" height=\"214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/UlughBeg-et-observatoire-1024x462.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/UlughBeg-et-observatoire-450x203.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/UlughBeg-et-observatoire-768x346.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/UlughBeg-et-observatoire-1536x693.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/UlughBeg-et-observatoire.jpg 1760w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5305\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Le prince Ulugh Beg et son observatoire \u00e0 Samarcande (reconstituion)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Achev\u00e9es vers 1440, elles contiennent un catalogue de 1018 \u00e9toiles organis\u00e9es selon les 48 constellations ptol\u00e9m\u00e9ennes. Elles rel\u00e8vent d\u2019une astronomie d\u2019observatoire de pr\u00e9cision obtenues avec de tr\u00e8s grands instruments m\u00e9ridiens. Le catalogue des Tables sultaniennes est donc le plus important entre ceux de Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e et celui de Tycho Brahe.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5295\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5295\" style=\"width: 192px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/belier2-2\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5295\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-5295\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Belier2-1-302x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"192\" height=\"286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Belier2-1-302x450.jpg 302w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Belier2-1.jpg 567w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 192px) 100vw, 192px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5295\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Etoiles de la constellation du B\u00e9lier dans les Tables Sultaniennes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>5) Le dernier grand chasseur d&#8217;\u00e9toiles avant l&#8217;invention du t\u00e9lescope est probablement Tycho Brah\u00e9. Gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 quels instruments r\u00e9ussit-il \u00e0 faire des observations aussi pr\u00e9cises\u00a0?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">En effet Tycho Brahe r\u00e9ussit \u00e0 atteindre une pr\u00e9cision exceptionnelle sans lunette astronomique \u2013 la lunette n\u2019appara\u00eet qu\u2019apr\u00e8s 1609, donc apr\u00e8s sa mort \u2014 gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 une combinaison de tr\u00e8s grands instruments, de graduations fines, d\u2019une m\u00e9thode syst\u00e9matique et d\u2019un v\u00e9ritable observatoire organis\u00e9 comme un laboratoire. Son grand avantage n\u2019est pas un instrument unique, mais l\u2019ensemble construit \u00e0 Uraniborg puis Stjerneborg, sur l\u2019\u00eele de Hven au Danemark, voir ma biographie romanc\u00e9e \u00ab\u00a0La discorde c\u00e9leste\u00a0\u00bb (JC Latt\u00e8s, 2008).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/uraniborg-et-stjerneborg\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5300\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-5300\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Uraniborg-et-Stjerneborg-450x187.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"187\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Uraniborg-et-Stjerneborg-450x187.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Uraniborg-et-Stjerneborg-1024x426.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Uraniborg-et-Stjerneborg-768x320.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Uraniborg-et-Stjerneborg-1536x639.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Uraniborg-et-Stjerneborg.jpg 1822w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Pour ses meilleures observations, Tycho atteint une pr\u00e9cision de l\u2019ordre de 1 \u00e0 2 minutes d\u2019arc, soit environ 30 \u00e0 60 fois meilleur que le degr\u00e9 d\u2019arc du catalogue de Ptol\u00e9m\u00e9e! Sans optique grossissante cela semble presque invraisemblable, mais la cl\u00e9 est que l\u2019\u0153il ne mesure pas seul : il vise \u00e0 travers de tr\u00e8s grands instruments gradu\u00e9s (un grand quadrant mural, des sextants, des armilles, un grand globe c\u00e9leste, des instruments m\u00e9caniquement stables (car souterrains), et des mesures r\u00e9p\u00e9t\u00e9es.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/tbrahe-discorde\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5310\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-5310\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/TBrahe-Discorde-1024x753.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"474\" height=\"349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/TBrahe-Discorde-1024x753.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/TBrahe-Discorde-450x331.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/TBrahe-Discorde-768x565.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/TBrahe-Discorde-1536x1129.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/TBrahe-Discorde.jpg 1608w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>6) Il est \u00e9tonnant de voir comment dans leur qu\u00eate d&#8217;\u00e9toiles les civilisations se passent le flambeau de l&#8217;une \u00e0 l&#8217;autre. Cette course de relais s&#8217;est-elle faite par pure n\u00e9cessit\u00e9 utilitaire (calculer le calendrier, naviguer), ou y avait-il en filigrane une conscience universelle de poursuivre une seule et m\u00eame \u0153uvre scientifique humaine ? Finalement pourquoi cataloguer les \u00e9toiles\u00a0?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Les deux dimensions existent. Les catalogues d\u2019\u00e9toiles sont n\u00e9s d\u2019abord de besoins pratiques, mais qu\u2019ils sont tr\u00e8s t\u00f4t devenus l\u2019une des formes les plus durables de la m\u00e9moire scientifique de l\u2019humanit\u00e9. Je dirais que la beaut\u00e9 profonde des catalogues d\u2019\u00e9toiles (voir le grand chapitre \u00ab\u00a0Uranom\u00e9trie\u00a0\u00bb de mon livre \u00ab\u00a0Figures du Ciel\u00a0\u00bb (Le Seuil\/BnF 1998) tient \u00e0 cela : ils sont n\u00e9s de besoins terrestres (semer, naviguer, prier, gouverner), mais ils ont peu \u00e0 peu constitu\u00e9 une archive du cosmos. Ils relient l\u2019urgence pratique \u00e0 la patience du savoir, et cette patience traduit l\u2019une des formes les plus nobles de l\u2019aventure scientifique : mesurer ce qui semble immuable pour d\u00e9couvrir que l\u2019univers, lui aussi, change et a une histoire.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/bayer-navigation-figciel\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5306\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-5306\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Bayer-Navigation-FigCiel-1024x407.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"474\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Bayer-Navigation-FigCiel-1024x407.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Bayer-Navigation-FigCiel-450x179.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Bayer-Navigation-FigCiel-768x305.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Bayer-Navigation-FigCiel-1536x611.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Bayer-Navigation-FigCiel.jpg 1866w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>7) Combien d&#8217;\u00e9toiles a t-on recens\u00e9 aujourd&#8217;hui\u00a0?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Le chiffre d\u00e9pend \u00e9norm\u00e9ment du seuil de magnitude et du type d\u2019objet retenu. Aujourd\u2019hui, le meilleur ordre de grandeur est environ 1,8 milliards d\u2019\u00e9toiles catalogu\u00e9es avec pr\u00e9cision, principalement gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 la mission Gaia de l\u2019ESA (Agence Spatiale Europ\u00e9enne). Mais ce n\u2019est encore qu\u2019une petite fraction (1 \u00e0 2%) des \u00e9toiles de notre Galaxie, la Voie lact\u00e9e. Sans compter les mille milliards de galaxies qu\u2019il y a dans l\u2019univers observable, dont on ne peut observer les \u00e9toiles individuelles\u00a0!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/gaia-et-champ-detoiles\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5307\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-5307\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Gaia-et-champ-detoiles-1024x361.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"474\" height=\"167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Gaia-et-champ-detoiles-1024x361.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Gaia-et-champ-detoiles-450x159.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Gaia-et-champ-detoiles-768x271.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Gaia-et-champ-detoiles-1536x541.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Gaia-et-champ-detoiles-2048x722.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Entretien (in\u00e9dit) 1) Les M\u00e9sopotamiens n&#8217;ont-ils pas \u00e9t\u00e9 les premiers \u00e0 tenter de dresser des listes d&#8217;\u00e9toiles\u00a0? Et il semble qu&#8217;Hipparque s&#8217;appuie sur leurs outils (comme le calcul sexag\u00e9simal) pour faire ses propres observations\u2026 Les M\u00e9sopotamiens ont en effet dress\u00e9 des listes d\u2019\u00e9toiles, notamment dans le trait\u00e9 babylonien MUL.APIN, compil\u00e9 autour du d\u00e9but du Ier &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continuer la lecture de <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Les arpenteurs du ciel, des terrasses de M\u00e9sopotamie au t\u00e9lescope Gaia<\/span>  <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5309,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[58,14,4],"tags":[794,382,793,792,92,29,233,176],"class_list":["post-5275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-astronomie","category-histoire-des-sciences-sciences","category-sciences","tag-catalogues-detoiles","tag-constellations","tag-hipparque","tag-mesopotamie","tag-ptolemee","tag-telescope-gaia","tag-tycho-brahe","tag-ulugh-beg"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Les arpenteurs du ciel, des terrasses de M\u00e9sopotamie au t\u00e9lescope Gaia, par Jean-Pierre Luminet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Les arpenteurs du ciel, des terrasses de M\u00e9sopotamie au t\u00e9lescope Gaia, par Jean-Pierre Luminet\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Entretien (in\u00e9dit) 1) Les M\u00e9sopotamiens n&#8217;ont-ils pas \u00e9t\u00e9 les premiers \u00e0 tenter de dresser des listes d&#8217;\u00e9toiles\u00a0? Et il semble qu&#8217;Hipparque s&#8217;appuie sur leurs outils (comme le calcul sexag\u00e9simal) pour faire ses propres observations\u2026 Les M\u00e9sopotamiens ont en effet dress\u00e9 des listes d\u2019\u00e9toiles, notamment dans le trait\u00e9 babylonien MUL.APIN, compil\u00e9 autour du d\u00e9but du Ier &hellip; Continuer la lecture de Les arpenteurs du ciel, des terrasses de M\u00e9sopotamie au t\u00e9lescope Gaia &rarr;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"LUMINESCIENCES : le blog de Jean-Pierre LUMINET, astrophysicien\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-30T19:26:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-30T19:26:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unknown_Artist_-_Nicees_hipparchus_Hipparkhos_in_the_Alexandria_Observatory_Greek_Astronomer_i_-_MeisterDrucke-933192.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1260\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"875\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jean-Pierre LUMINET\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"\u00c9crit par\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jean-Pierre LUMINET\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Dur\u00e9e de lecture estim\u00e9e\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/\",\"name\":\"Les arpenteurs du ciel, des terrasses de M\u00e9sopotamie au t\u00e9lescope Gaia, par Jean-Pierre Luminet\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unknown_Artist_-_Nicees_hipparchus_Hipparkhos_in_the_Alexandria_Observatory_Greek_Astronomer_i_-_MeisterDrucke-933192.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-30T19:26:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-30T19:26:27+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/#\/schema\/person\/d61f577b54398f0ecee81e140e7643cb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/2026\/08\/30\/les-arpenteurs-du-ciel-des-terrasses-de-mesopotamie-au-telescope-gaia\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unknown_Artist_-_Nicees_hipparchus_Hipparkhos_in_the_Alexandria_Observatory_Greek_Astronomer_i_-_MeisterDrucke-933192.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/Unknown_Artist_-_Nicees_hipparchus_Hipparkhos_in_the_Alexandria_Observatory_Greek_Astronomer_i_-_MeisterDrucke-933192.jpg\",\"width\":1260,\"height\":875},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.futura-sciences.com\/luminet\/\",\"name\":\"LUMINESCIENCES : le blog de Jean-Pierre LUMINET, astrophysicien\",\"description\":\"J\u2019eus le vertige et je pleurai car mes yeux avaient vu cet objet secret et conjectural dont les hommes usurpent le nom, mais qu\u2019aucun homme n\u2019a regard\u00e9 : l\u2019inconcevable univers.  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