Shi is credited with positioning the 121 stars found in the preserved texts.[2] Shen also made the earliest surviving deliberate sunspot observation,[3] sometimes erroneously credited to Gan De. He assumed that these spots wereeclipses that began at the center of the Sun and spread outward. Although he was wrong, he recognised the spots for what they were – solar phenomena.[4]
His works included the 8-volumeThe rocks of Space,[5] the one-volumeCelestial Map and the one-volumeStar Catalogue of Shi.[6] The latter two are now believed to be written by his school followers. Most of his works did not survive intact, but a few of his crucial writings were preserved in theTreatise on Astrology of the Kaiyuan Era.
Gan De and Shi Shen are widely quoted across a number of astronomical texts after their time, though they should not be confused with other books sharing similar names that were not written by them. One example is theStar Manual of the Masters Gan and Shi (甘石星經, Gan Shi Xingjing), which was actually compiled byMa Xian (馬顯) circa 579 AD as an appendix to a calendar treatise.[8]
^Hiscourtesy name is written differently in sources; inHanshu 30 his name was listed as Shi Shenfu (石申夫), Shi Shenfu (石申甫) as inOld Book of Tang 51, and Shi Shenfu (石申父) under a commentary inHou Hanshu 100. Though he was simply known as Shi Shen underShiji 27.
^Milone, Eugene F. Humiston Kelley, David.Exploring Ancient Skies: An Encyclopedic Survey of Archaeoastronomy. (2005).ISBN0-387-95310-8
^The first dated record ofsunspots is found in theHanshu which records an observation made 10 May 28 BC.
^Suishu 34 listed three of his works together, theTianwen (天文),Huntian Tu (浑天图) andShishi Xingbu Jingzan (石氏星簿经赞) a.k.a.Shishi Xingjing Buzan (石氏星经簿赞).
^Peng, Yoke Ho (2000).Li, Qi and Shu: An Introduction to Science and Civilization in China. Courier Dover Publications.ISBN0-486-41445-0
^Kistemaker, Jacob. Sun, Xiaochun. [1997] (1997).The Chinese Sky During the Han: Constellating Stars and Society. BRILL publishing.ISBN90-04-03938-4.
Du Shiran; et al. (1992).Biographies of Ancient Chinese Scientists Series One:Shi Shenfu. Beijing: Kexue Chubanshe. pp. 22–25.ISBN7-03-002926-7.{{cite book}}:External link in|title= (help)
Zhu Genyi; et al. (1999).Concise Spotlight on Who in the World of Science and Technology. Beijing: Zhongguo Kexue Jishu Chubanshe. pp. 2–3.ISBN7-5046-2602-3.
Dick Teresi (2003).The Ancient Roots of Modern Science--from the Babylonians to the Maya. New York:Simon & Schuster. p. 148.ISBN0-7432-4379-X.
