Astrolabe Catalogue

 

Small image of astrolabe back with rules or alidades removed. Click to enlarge.
Date ca. 1400
Place Paris (?)
Material Brass
Inventory no. 41468
Acquisition Presented by Lewis Evans in 1924

Back


Construction marks on the back include the circle and angles used to construct the shadow square. The upper half is blank.

The back contains 4 scales of the following types:
Type
(click to view scale details)
Range & Units Numbered Geometry Location
Degree 0 - 90, Degrees Every 5 degrees Circular, concentric The entire outer circle on the back of an astrolabe.
Zodiacal signs Zodiacal divisions, equal or unequal Every 5  Circular, concentric Circular scale immediately inside the outer scale - refers to the full circle
Calendar Days of year Every 5 days and at the end of the month days Circular, concentric Circular scale second in from the outer scale - refers to the full circle.
Shadow square 0 - 12, Fingers Every 2 fingers Box Left hand vertical 'face' of the shadow square (in LL)
Shadow square 0 - 12, Fingers Every 2 fingers Box Left hand bottom face of the shadow square (in LL)
Shadow square 0 - 12, Fingers Every 2 fingers Box Right hand bottom face of the shadow square (in LR)
Shadow square 0 - 12, Fingers Every 2 fingers Box Right hand vertical face of the shadow square (in LR)
MHS Home | Contact Us | ©2006 Museum of the History of Science