Astrolabe Catalogue

 

Front of astrolabe without rete or plates. Click to enlarge
Date 1789/90 (A.H. 1204)
Maker Sayyid ’Abd al-Baqi
Place Persia (?)
Material Brass
Inventory no. 50059
Acquisition Presented by J. A. Billmeir in 1957

Throne

The throne is of the five-lobed type with integrated support(s). The throne is attached with a integrated base. scalloped throne, with 5 small lobes, simple scroll work at the bottom.

Ring

The ring is of the simple, squared cross-section type (i.e. a simple ring made from a round rod or piece of metal).

Shackle

Shackle of the omega type (i.e. Ω-shaped shackle). Simple Ω-shaped ring that pivots on a pin.

Mater

The mater and limb are of two pieces, soldered and riveted construction. This instrument has a tab on the limb, inside the mater, to hold the tympans in place rather than a notch in the mater and a tab on the plates. Scales on the limb:
Type Range & Units Numbered Geometry Location
Equal hours N/A Times of day  hours Circular, concentric None
Degree 0 - 90 Degrees Every 6 degrees Circular, concentric None

Womb


The womb contains a gazetteer with coordinates for 45 cities:
City
(on instrument)
Translation
(when known)
Longitude Latitude Inhiraf Jihat
مكه Mecca 77°10 21°40 00 00
مدينه Medina 75°20 25°0 37°10 SHJ
قراون Qayrawan 41°00 31°40 41°47 SHJ
مصر Misr 63°20 30°20 18°38 SHJ
صنعا Sana’a 77°0 14°30 01°15 SHSH
لحسا Lahsa 83°30 24°00 69°30 GHJ
بيت المقدس Bait al-Maqdis 66°30 31°50 45°16 JAQ
دمشق Dimashq 70°00 33°15 30°31 GHJ
حلب Halab 72°10 35°50 18°29 GHJ
موصل Mosul 87°00 34°30 07°12 GHJ
اردبيل Ardabil 82°30 38°00 17°33 GHJ
نخجوان Nakhijewan 81°15 38°40 12°15 GHJ
مراغه Maragheh 82°00 37°20 16°17 GHJ
تبريز Tabriz 82°00 38°00 15°40 GHJ
س مراى Samira 79°00 34°00 7°56 GHJ
بغداد Baghdad 80°00 33°25 12°15 GHJ
واسط Wasit 81°30 32°20 20°14 GHJ
بصره Basr 84°00 30°00 37°19 GHJ
شوشتر Shushtar 84°30 31°30 35°24 GHJ
اهواز Ahwaz 85°00 31°00 40°30 GHJ
كازرون Kazerun 87°00 29°15 11°17 GHJ
شيراز Shiraz 88°00 29°36 33°38 GHJ
يزد Yazd 89°00 32°00 48°29 GHJ
همدان Hamadan 83°00 35°10 22°17 GHJ
قزوين Qazvin 85°00 36°00 27°34 GHJ
اصفهان Isfahan 86°40 32°25 40°18 GHJ
كشان Kashan 86°00 34°00 34°31 GHJ
رى Rayy 86°20 34°00 36°26 GHJ
ظالقان Taliqan 85°45 36°10 29°13 GHJ
استراباد Asterabad 89°35 36°50 18°38 GHJ
جرفادمان Gerfadman 85°30 34°15 33°41 GHJ
طوس Ṭus 92°30 37°00 45°06 GHJ
نيشابور Nishapur 92°30 36°21 46°25 GHJ
سبزوار Sabzawar 104°30 40°50 20°09 GHJ
ترشش Turshiz 92°00 35°00 48°51 GHJ
سمنان Semnan 88°00 36°00 36°17 GHJ
دامغان Damghan 88°55 36°20 38°00 GHJ
تون Tun 92°30 34°30 50°20 GHJ
قاين Qayen 93°20 33°40 14°01 GHJ
مرو Marw 97°00 37°40 12°30 GHJ
كابل Kabul 104°40 34°36 69°35 GHJ
هراة Herat 94°20 34°30 14°08 GHJ
كرمان Kerman 92°30 29°50 62°51 GHJ
ملتان Multan 107°35 29°40 80°38 GHJ
قنداهر Qandahar 107°40 33°00 75°05 GHJ
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