Astrolabe Catalogue

 

Small image of astrolabe rete separated from astrolabe. Click to enlarge.
Date ca. 1560
Place France
Material Brass
Inventory no. 41409
Acquisition Presented by Lewis Evans in 1924
The rete is of the arsenius type. The rete is remarkably thin. At a superficial level it resembles those made in the Low Countries, particularly in the attempt to incorporate a tulip into the strapwork within the ecliptic band.The zodiac on the rete is labelled: ARIES , TAVRVS , GEMINI , CANCER , LEO , VIRGO , LIBRA , SCROPIO , SAGITTARIVS , CAPRICORNVS , AqVARVIS , PISCES

Scales


Type Range & Units Numbered Geometry Location
Ecliptic 0 - 30 Degrees of ecliptic Every 10  Ecliptic ecliptic

Stars

There are 21 stars on the rete marked with flamant pointers. Unless otherwise indicated the star name, mediation and declination are as marked/measured on the rete.
Click on the star name or modern star name to search for other astrolabes with the same star.
Star name
(on instrument)
Modern star
(if known)
Mediation Declination Pointer
Cauda ceti Deneb Kaitos 6.0° of Aries -19° flamant
Venter ceti Baten Kaitos 26.0° of Aries -18° flamant
oculus ♉ Aldebaran 6.0° of Gemini 16° flamant
hircus Capella 12.0° of Gemini 50° flamant
sinist hu orion Bellatrix 14.0° of Gemini flamant
PREC CINIG 18.0° of Gemini -1° flamant
dEXT hVM ORI Betelgeuse 24.0° of Gemini flamant
Canis maior Sirius 6.0° of Cancer -17° flamant
Canis minor Procyon 18.0° of Cancer flamant
Cor leonis Regulus 24.0° of Leo 14° flamant
Spica ♍ Spica 17.0° of Libra -10° flamant
EXT ur ma Alkaid 28.0° of Libra 52° flamant
Arct Arcturus 1.0° of Scorpio 24° flamant
Cor ♏ Antares 3.0° of Sagittarius -24° flamant
[no name] Alphecca 4.0° of Sagittarius 26° flamant
Caput herc Rasalgethi 13.0° of Sagittarius 17° flamant
Caput Drac Rastaban 24.0° of Sagittarius 52° flamant
Lyra Vega 4.0° of Capricorn 42° flamant
aquila Altair 20.0° of Capricorn flamant
Cauda delph Deneb Dulfim 1.0° of Aquarius 11° flamant
[no name] Skat 26.0° of Aquarius -18° flamant

Nut & Bolt

The rete is attached using a nut & bolt. The bolt is attached to the alidade on the back of the instrument.
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