The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh c15.s1.t5.1

c15.s1.t5.1

72. The determination of the position of the stars with exactitude does not seem to have interested the ancient Hindu astronomers.¹ In early works the brief lists of stars with celestial co-ordinates are given in connexion with the path of the sun and moon through the nakshatras. In each nakshatra the position of a junction star or *yogatārā* was determined. The *Pañcha Siddhāntikā* mentions seven of these while the *Sūrya Siddhānta* gives the position of 28, one for each nakshatra, and also of seven other stars. The *Siddhānta Śiromani* and *Brahma Siddhānta* mention only Canopus and Sirius. After these, such lists as Mahendra Suri's (given in Appendix A) sometimes occur.