The Astrolabe

Have you ever wanted to measure the positions of the stars and other celestial bodies?

Some ancient people did, and they invented the astrolabe to do it!

This unique device has a long and storied history, and it’s been used by all sorts of people, like astronomers, navigators, and mathematicians.

The astrolabe, too, has its roots in ancient Greeks’ brains, which were developed by a bunch of smarty-pants astronomers, mathematicians, and philosophers. It is often dubbed a “handheld model of the universe.”

It’s a complex and intricate device that consists of a circular disk called a mater, which is mounted on a handle or rod. The device is inscribed with scales and arcs used to measure celestial objects’ altitude above the horizon.