898,012,266 visitors served.
898,012,266 visitors served. |
|
 Dictionary/ thesaurus |  Medical dictionary |  Legal dictionary |  Financial dictionary |  Acronyms |  Idioms |  Encyclopedia |  Wikipedia encyclopedia | ? |
astrolabe |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia | 0.07 sec. |
astrolabe) A French mariner using an astrolabe to fix the position of a star, from a vellum manuscript of Jacques Devaulx (1583; Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, France). The mariner's astrolabe was introduced in the mid-15th century, but did not see general use until the beginning of the 16th century. It was supplanted by the sextant in the 18th century. Ancient navigational instrument, forerunner of the sextant. Astrolabes usually consisted of a flat disc with a sighting rod that could be pivoted to point at the Sun or bright stars. From the altitude of the Sun or star above the horizon, the local time could be estimated. |
|
? Mentioned in | ? References in classic literature | |
|---|---|---|
And I can visit the celebrated islands where the Boussole and the Astrolabe struck? An astrolabe was an instrument used in astronomy to find out the distance of stars from the earth, the position of the sun and moon, the length of days, and many other things about the heavens and their bodies. But we must have already emerged and gone seven hundred or eight hundred leagues; and if I had here an astrolabe to take the altitude of the pole, I could tell thee how many we have travelled, though either I know little, or we have already crossed or shall shortly cross the equinoctial line which parts the two opposite poles midway. |
 |
| Free Tools: |
For surfers:
Browser extension |
Word of the Day |
Help
For webmasters: Free content NEW! | Linking | Lookup box | Double-click lookup | Partner with us |
|
|---|
Disclaimer |
Privacy policy |
Feedback | Copyright © 2008 Farlex, Inc.
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
astrolabe
