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Timbuktu's Astronomers: The Sahara's Lost Stargazers
Long before telescopes reached West Africa, scholars in Timbuktu were mapping the stars with astonishing precision. This episode explores the astronomical tradition of the Sankore Madrasa, from the 13th-century scholar al-Wangari's observations of lunar eclipses to the star catalogs used for navigation across the Sahara. We uncover how Timbuktu's astronomers blended Islamic, Greek, and indigenous knowledge, building instruments like the astrolabe and quadrant. Discover the overlooked legacy of African astronomy and how these celestial insights shaped trade, prayer, and calendar…
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