In this episode we have the honour of talking with Professor Julio Samsó, a leading figure in the history of astronomy in medieval and Arabic context. He is an Emeritus Professor of the University of Barcelona since 2012, and has a long career of research and a vast list of publications. The conversation centres on the Professor’s research on the astonomy in Al-Andalus and the Maghrib. It addresses the importance of astrology in the context of the history of astronomy, its various levels of practice (from the erudite to the popular), as well as the importance of mathematical knowledge.

To know more about Professor Samsó’s work see: https://ub.academia.edu/JulioSamsó or http://www.ub.edu/arab/cv/Julio%20Samso%20cv.pdf

Among his many publications are:

• Astronomy and Astrology in al-Andalus and the Maghrib. Ashgate Variorum. Aldershot, 2007
• From Baghdad to Barcelona. Studies in the Islamic Exact Sciences in Honour of Prof. Juan Vernet / De Bagdad a Barcelona. Estudios sobre Historia de las Ciencias Exactas en el Mundo Islámico en honor del Prof. Juan Vernet. “Anuari de Filologia (Universitat de Barcelona” 19 (1996) B-2, Instituto “Millás Vallicrosa de Historia de la Ciencia Arabe. Barcelona, 1996. 2 vols. (with Jose Casulleras)
• Las Ciencias de los Antiguos en al-Andalus. Fundación Ibn Tufayl. Almería 2011.