Order now
Ulugh Beg’s curiosity burned as bright as the stars. He yearned to count every star in the sky, every day in a year, and to know why the seasons change. Fueled by his deep faith, Ulugh Beg’s quest for knowledge led to the creation of new schools, the world’s largest observatory and star catalog, and innovative tools to better chart the secrets of the skies. Although some doubted him, he never stopped searching for answers. And because of his determination, our understanding of the world has changed—forever.
Praise for The Prince of Stars: Ulugh Beg’s Quest to Map the Stars and Seasons
Driven by scientific curiosity, Ulugh Beg makes astronomical discoveries and builds a center for knowledge and culture in 15th-century Turkistan. He catalogs more than 1,000 stars and uses their locations to determine the length of the year. He calculates the tilt of Earth’s axis to unlock the mystery of the seasons. Ulugh Beg not only constructs an observatory with the first permanently mounted astronomical instruments, but he also builds schools and mosques, turning Turkistan into a center of learning and culture.
Enlightening and infused with a great sense of wonder, Yuksel’s picture-book biography is a much-needed addition to an existing repertoire of books featuring Muslim heroes. A luminous tribute to a notable figure that’s sure to satisfy—and inspire—inquisitive minds.
Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
Ulugh Beg’s passion for science propels this polished picture book biography, which also shines light on astronomy’s early history. Questions represent Ulugh Beg’s childhood curiosity: “How many stars are there?” When the subject becomes the ruler of Turkistan at age 15, he transforms the kingdom into “a mecca of learning” and persists with scientific inquiries, building the world’s largest observatory in Samarkand. Eventually, he also succeeds in producing the greatest star catalog in history, measuring the length of a year, and growing to understand Earth’s axial tilt.
Publishers Weekly
Take one little boy brimming with curiosity, surrounded by nature and opportunity, supported by the best teachers, and encouraged by a grandfather who happens to be the king of the Timurid Empire, and you find young Ulugh Beg, who becomes one of the world’s most accomplished scientists. The fact that Ulugh Bed could solve mathematical equations in his head while he rode horseback through the plains of Turkistan suggests he was also something of an intellectual prodigy. After inheriting the empire at the age of 15, he used his power and wealth to promote education, art, and scholarship for others. He ruled the land and followed his desire to “become a great scientist.” And he did! He built an observatory, catalogued stars, and charted the locations of celestial bodies, providing foundational knowledge for future astronomers. A biography to add flair and depth to math and science curricula, reminding readers of how knowledge is constructed.
Booklist
Activities
Coming soon