Islamic astrolabe, 1605-1606
- Made:
- 1605-1606 in Middle East
- maker:
- Mustafa Ayyub
Brass Arabic planispheric astrolabe with 6 plates and a shadow dial on the reverse by Mustafa Ayyub-i and dated 1014 AH (1605-06 AD), IC 1059 [International Checklist]
Dated 1605--6, this brass Islamic astrolabe was made by Musatafa Ayyub-I in the Middle East. This front view shows the ornate moveable fretwork plate called the rete that denotes star positions by short curved pointers. The astrolabe is in essence a model of the universe that an astronomer could hold in their hands. Popular in Medieval and Renaissance Europe, its many uses included timekeeping, astrology and surveying. The astrolabe is a two-dimensional depiction of the heavens whose layout is achieved using the mathematical technique of stereographic projection. From its origins in the Ancient World, Islamic astronomers developed the astrolabe from where it spread to Europe.