Chinese Equatorial System and Degrees

The Chinese are credited with the invention of the equatorial system. See <http://library.thinkquest.org/23062/astronomy.html>. That page also refers to degrees. That is their ancient astronomers marked positions by degrees. I think it even suggests fractions of degrees. Were degrees and fractions really known to them? I would they would not use modern fractions but some other such expression. I suspect 'degrees' is a stretch here. Perhaps some more ancient division based on something other than 360?
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Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)
(121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Chinese Equatorial System and Degrees
    ... That page also refers to ... That is their ancient astronomers marked positions by degrees. ... > it even suggests fractions of degrees. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: Chinese Equatorial System and Degrees
    ... That is their ancient astronomers marked positions by degrees. ... I think it even suggests fractions of degrees. ... They may have had no knowledge of Babylonian math. ... Wayne T. Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA) GMT-8 hr std. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
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