Large Brass Rojas H34 Astrolabe - reproduction, dia. 20cm
Large Brass Rojas H34 Astrolabe - reproduction, dia. 20cm. A legendary medieval computer, a precise navigational device, and an astronomical instrument.
A universal astrolabe for the Northern Hemisphere, built based on the model by the Spanish mathematician Juan de Rojas - a design from 1550. The sky map has been updated for the present day. The device can be used for current measurements.
Renaissance style. Max. height 24.5cm, width 20cm, depth 0.7cm. The device is fully functional. It was handmade in the same way as astrolabes were several hundred years ago.
An astrolabe is an astronomical computer used to determine the time based on the position of the Sun and stars. Centuries ago, it made it possible to find out what time it was. This question, trivial today, was once a great challenge in the pre-smartphone era. It made it possible to determine the time of phenomena such as sunrises and sunsets, and enabled the determination of the positions of stars and directions. It was used to perform many advanced calculations. There were about 400 of them. The astrolabe was also a popular navigational device.
The astrolabe reproduces a 3D map of the sky on a flat surface.
Its history began more than 2,000 years ago. For centuries, knowledge was developed and increasingly complex devices were built. Arab scholars made a major contribution to this. Sources report that, thanks to this device, a very accurate map of Baghdad was created in the Middle Ages, for example. It was thanks to them that the astrolabe arrived in Europe in the 12th century.
Until around 1650, it was the most common astronomical instrument, after which it was replaced by more precise instruments.
Our astrolabe stands out for its attention to detail, high historical value, and elegant workmanship. It is supplied complete with a wooden pedestal.
Under this link is a video describing how the astrolabe works:
https://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_demos_the_13th_century_astrolabe?language=pl