prismatic astrolabe
instrument
Learn about this topic in these articles:
celestial body measurement
- In telescope: Astrolabes
Known as a prismatic astrolabe, it too is used for making precise determinations of the positions of stars and planets. It may sometimes be used inversely to determine the latitude and longitude of the observer, assuming the star positions are accurately known. The aperture of a prismatic astrolabe…
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time measurement
- In time: Time determination
The prismatic astrolabe is a refinement of the instrument used since antiquity for measuring the altitude of a star above the horizon. The modern device consists of a horizontal telescope into which the light from the star is reflected from two surfaces of a prism that…
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