An informal illustration of technology in action |
Sketch by Jonathan Sills
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The mural quadrant was fixed to a sturdy wall within the observatory,
and aligned with the meridian (an imaginary line through the poles).
The observer pivoted the telescope along the graduated scale until
a targeted star was in view. The star's altitude could then be
measured using the highly accurate divisions on the quadrant.
Sometimes a ladder or reclining chair was necessary to achieve
just the right angle for making the observation.
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