astrolabe

as·tro·labe  (str-lb)

n.

A medieval instrument, now replaced by the sextant, that was once used to determine the altitude of the sun or other celestial bodies.

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[Middle English astrelabie, from Old French astrelabe, from Medieval Latin astrolabium, from Greek astrolabon, planisphere : astro-, astro- + lambanein, lab-, to take.]

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astrolabe

Noun

an instrument formerly used to measure the altitude of stars and planets [Greek astron star + lambanein to take]

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astrolabe  (str-lb)

An ancient instrument used widely in medieval times by navigators and astronomers to determine latitude, longitude, and time of day. The device employed a disk with 360 degrees marked on its circumference. Users took readings from an indicator that pivoted around the center of the suspended device like the hand of a clock. The astrolabe was replaced by the sextant in the 18th century.

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astrolabe

a navigational instrument formerly used for taking bearings of the sun and stars. See also representation.

See also: Instruments

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a stereographic projection of the earth, as a sphere, on the plane of one of the great circles. Also called planisphere.

See also: Representation

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

astrolabe - an early form of sextant             sextant - a measuring instrument for measuring the angular distance between celestial objects; resembles an octant