Planispheric Astrolabe, North African, 18th century. Silver. An astrolabe was an elaborate inclinometer, historically used by astronomers and navigators to measure the altitude above the horizon of a celestial body, day or night. It can be used to identify stars or planets, to determine local latitude given local time, to survey, or to triangulate. It was used in classical antiquity, the Islamic Golden Age, the European Middle Ages and the Age of Discovery for all these purposes.

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Photo credit: © World History Archive / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 18th, african, age, ages, altitude, antiquity, archival, archive, astrolabe, astronomy, body, celestial, century, classical, discovery, golden, historic, historical, history, horizon, inclinometer, islamic, measurement, middle, navigation, north, planispheric, silver