Now, to deal with the next part of the theory, we shall begin discussing the stars, and first, in accordance with the logical order, the so-called fixed stars.
To introduce the next book of the Almagest, Ptolemy informs the reader that we will be taking some time to understand the fixed stars. There are two important things to note about this sentence. The first is that Ptolemy is taking extra care to make sure the reader knows we are discussing the fixed stars. This is because the Greek concept of “stars” could include the planets. Continue reading “Almagest Book VII: On the Relative Positions of the Stars”