Astrolabe Glossary and Notes

Limb

The raised circumference on the front of an astrolabe is called the limb. The limb often contains a scale of degrees and on Western astrolabes an hour scale. The limb was also used to secure the tympans from moving when the rete was rotated, either by means of a pin extending from the limb or a notch that accepted the tab from the tympan.
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