The back contains 15 scales of the following types:
| Type (click to view scale details) |
Range & Units | Numbered | Geometry | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altitude | 0 - 90, Degrees | Every 6 degrees | Circular, concentric | Upper right quadrant of outer circular on back of instrument. |
| Altitude | 0 - 90, Degrees | Every 6 degrees | Circular, concentric | Upper left quadrant of outer circular on back of instrument. |
| Sine/Cosine | 1/60 of quadrant radius | Not numbered | Angle | Upper left quadrant (inside circular scales) |
| Declination | Summer solstice - Winter solstice, Zodiacal divisions, equal or unequal | Every 10 | Arc | Upper right quadrant (inside circular scales) |
| Prayer lines | Planet | Not numbered | Arc | Upper right quadrant (inside circular scales) |
| Cotangent | 0 - 60, Fingers | Every 6 fingers | Circular, concentric | Lower left quadrant of outer circular on back of instrument. |
| Cotangent | 0 - 60, Feet | Every 6 feet | Circular, concentric | Lower right quadrant of outer circular on back of instrument. |
| Lunar Mansions | 0° Aries - 30° Pisces, Lunar mansion | Not numbered | Inner Circular, concentric | half circle inside the outer circle (on mashriqi astrolabes) - covering LL and LR |
| Zodiacal signs | Aries - Pisces, Zodiacal sign | Not numbered | Inner Circular, concentric | half circle inside the V circle (on mashriqi astrolabes) - covering LL and LR |
| Terms | 0° Aries - 30° Pisces, Zodiacal divisions, equal or unequal | At each term | Inner Circular, concentric | half circle inside the VI circle (on mashriqi astrolabes) - covering LL and LR |
| Faces | 0° Aries - 30° Pisces, Zodiacal divisions, equal or unequal | At each face | Inner Circular, concentric | half circle inside the VII circle (on mashriqi astrolabes) - covering LL and LR |
| Shadow square | 1 - 60, Fingers | Every 5 fingers | Box | Left hand vertical 'face' of the shadow square (in LL) |
| Shadow square | 1 - 60, Fingers | Every 5 fingers | Box | Left hand bottom face of the shadow square (in LL) |
| Shadow square | 1 - 71, Feet | Every 10 feet | Box | Right hand bottom face of the shadow square (in LR) |
| Shadow square | 1 - 71, Feet | Every 10 feet | Box | Right hand vertical face of the shadow square (in LR) |
| Triplicities | Zodiacal divisions, equal or unequal | Not numbered | Inner Box | Box 'inside' the shadow square. Common site for triplicities, etc. |