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Philips' Planisphere, ca. 1900. In astronomy, a planisphere (/ ˈ p l eɪ. n ɪ ˌ s f ɪər, ˈ p l æ n. ɪ-/) is a star chart analog computing instrument in the form of two adjustable disks that rotate on a common pivot. It can be adjusted to display the visible stars for any time and date.
A plastic planisphere. The word planisphere (Latin planisphaerium) was originally used in the second century by Ptolemy to describe the representation of a spherical Earth by a map drawn in the plane. [2] Planisphere
11th century – Planisphere invented by Biruni [7] 11th century – Universal latitude-independent astrolabe invented by Abū Ishāq Ibrāhīm al-Zarqālī (Arzachel) [8] 1023 – Hamedan observatory in Persia; c. 1030 – Treasury of Optics by Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen) of Iraq and Egypt; 1074–92 – Malikshah Observatory at Isfahan used by ...
An astrolabe is essentially a plane (two-dimensional) version of an armillary sphere, which had already been invented in the Hellenistic period and probably been used by Hipparchus to produce his star catalogue. Theon of Alexandria (c. 335–405) wrote a detailed treatise on the astrolabe. [9]
Planisphere or Planisphaerium, a 2nd-century AD book by Claudius Ptolemy about mapping the celestial sphere onto a flat plane using the stereographic projection to make a star chart Planispheric astrolabe , a device consisting of a planisphere joined to a dioptra, used for observing stars and performing astronomical calculations
A celestial map by the Dutch cartographer Frederik de Wit, 1670. A star chart is a celestial map of the night sky with astronomical objects laid out on a grid system. They are used to identify and locate constellations, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and planets. [1]
[1] They also invented an automatic flute player which appears to have been the first programmable machine. [2] c. 1000 Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī invented the Planisphere, an analog computer. [3] He also invented the first mechanical lunisolar calendar which employed a gear train and eight gear-wheels. [4]
An astronomical instrument is a device for observing, measuring or recording astronomical data.They are used in the scientific field of astronomy, a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos, with the object of explaining their origin and evolution over time.