1.02 JUNCTION-STARS AND CONJUNCTION OF PLANETS WIT HTHEM The longitudes given in the Maha-Bhaskariya, the Laghu-Bhaskariya, and the Sisya-dhi-vrddhida are the usual celestial longitudes, whereas those given in the Surya-siddhanta, the Brahma-sphuta-siddhanta, the Siddhanta- sekhara and the Siddhanta-siromani are the polar longitudes.¹ This explains why there are significant differences between them, but, as should be expected, the celestial longitudes as also the polar longitudes exhibit general agreement amongst themselves. The minor differences that occur in a few cases are probably due to the errors of observation or to the different methods used. Celestial latitudes of the junction-stars, definition of the conjunction of a planet with a star, and a rule for determining the distance between a planet and a star when they are in conjunction: 66(ii)-71(i). North, ten, twelve, five; south, five, ten, .eleven; north, six, zero; south, seven, zero; north, twelve, thirteen; south, seven, two; north, thirty-seven; south, one and a half, three, four, eight plus one-third, seven, seven plus one- third; north, thirty, thirty-six; south, eighteen minutes; north, twenty-four, twenty-six, zero-these have been stated by the learned to be the degrees of the celestial latitudes of the junction- stars of the nakṣatras beginning with Aśvini. All planets having their longitudes equal to those of the junction-stars are seen in conjunction with them. The distance between a planet and a star (when they are in conjunction) is determined from their celestial latitudes.² The celestial latitudes of the junction-stars stated above are exhibited in the following table. We also give the celestial latitudes stated in the other important works on Hindu astronomy. 1 That is, the longitudes of those points where the secondaries to the equater passing through the junction-stars intersect the ecliptic. 2 See MBh, vi. 54,
