Mayan constellations: visualization and interpretation using computer tools

Abstract

There has been a long standing debate about the existence of maya constellations, but there are several sources of evidences that favour this hypothesis: mural paintings, stelae and codex. In this work, we have recovered and compiled information regarding mayan constellations and the mayan names for selected celestial bodies. We explain the process that was carried out to obtain all the information available and compile it under the same digital support. The result was incorporated into the Stellarium astronomical software to enrich the modules of archaeoastronomy and stellar legend, where constellations from diverse cultures are made available to users of the software by simulating their appearance in the night sky.