The colour of Sirius as recorded in ancient Chinese texts
Abstract
At present, Sirius is white, but in the West there has long existed a succession of records purporting that the star is red, which would mean difficulty for the current theory of stellar evolution. In this paper I have systematically examined the more reliable records regarding the colour of Sirius in extant ancient Chinese texts from B. C. times to the + 7th century and found that, during this period, Sirius was unquestionably white, thus relieving the present theory of stellar evolution of any threat from this direction.
- Publication:
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Chinese Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- April 1993
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0275-1062(93)90073-X
- Bibcode:
- 1993ChA&A..17..223J
- Keywords:
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- Colour of Sirius-stellar evolution-ancient Chinese texts