How many nights and days of observation, how many calculations, how much metallurgical skill went in to making that device? When one holds an astrolab, one holds centuries in one's hand. Humility is the word.
Hey now, you don't know that. A babe born unto us in say July will have had vastly different seasonal exposures to January's child, producing character traits that astrology historically well accounted for. Said infant's dietary intake in those first crucial months will inevitably have been effected, limited, advanced who knows - different is all I'm saying. Same goes for the level of maternal attention bestowed upon said infant, owing predominantly to her increased feminine responsibilities during different months of the year - think preparing clothes for Winter, repairing nets during high flood season and so on and so on. In short and by way of conclusion, you need to check your privilege friend. Just because you weren't born in 8th Century Baghdad doesn't mean you should judge those who were! These traditions arose based on millenia of observation - non-sceintific I grant you but observatiion none the less. This goes for numerous curious events, within which I would include astronomy, ley-line reading, ghostly phenomena and of course Quantum Healing Hypnosis. I will take your non-response to this comment as deriving from the awe-struck moment of epiphany which my wisdom will surel have evinced in you - be bold, it will pass, and you will stride anew into this world, reborn with sight keener than before, a skeptic no more. And yes, you can thank me later friend. My very best wishes to you and all UA-cam commentators.
egg54543543543 "I will take your non-response to this comment as deriving from the awe-struck moment of epiphany which my wisdom will surel have evinced in you" What a childish statement! You must be very egocentric to think that your wisdom is so much that you, just speaking, are always right and people are lucky and "enlightened" by your speech. Beyond that: I was born in a tropical region, and the difference between the seasons is almost imperceptible or nonexistent, like much of the Islamic world. In addition, the sky and the seasons are different in other regions of the world and the Islamic culture was spread in a great extension of the globe. Your argument assumes that the whole world lives in temperate regions and is basically like Europe. And it's almost racist assuming that all other cultures in the world have developed like the European. In short, it is YOU have to check your privileges and your vision of European white origin applied to others cultures.
Danilo, your fury is correct; you are correct. The time is coming now for you people of the Third World, the Developing World to conquer us. Our hour is past; you grow strong, and we are but the great-great-grandchildren of once great men; we are nothing. Your time is coming, and Danilo, I beg of you this: when that time comes, have mercy upon us, as we once had no mercy upon you. I fear you, I fear you. Pity us, Danilo, Pity the once wise now weak western man. We descend into a civilisational alzheimers. Show us what it is to be alive again. We need you; come for us, redeem us. We need you again. Good luck, Friend.
too much truth eh blueman? I know the feeling. Still you'll get used to it... The game is up, friend. Our day is done. It was a good run, this "western" civilisation, we had a time, a good time. Remember the '90s? Me too. Problem is, ever since communism fell, we've had nothing to prop us up inside, except the terrorists maybe, but they were never up to much. No, it's over, it's all over. We have nothing left to give. Capitalism?! Don't make me laugh! No, our only hope now lies in the immigrant's way, his dynamism, his earthy passion, his outrageous existence, is all that can touch us now, can break the rigor mortis grip of a culture consuming itself. Don't worry Bluey, it'll be ok, one day. Danilo, seize my lands!!
The astrolabe was the first widely available hand held computer / calculator. There were expensive, but brass ones were affordable by many. The first book written in modern English, by Chaucer, is a guide to using the astrolabe. I have one and figured out how to use it. It is about 4" in diameter and can tell time to within 15 min depending on season. If you can identify a star in the sky that is on one of the spurs, you can tell time at night even more accurately. I love mine it's a sweet little personal treasure. Bought it at a Renaissance Faire.
@@hermespsychopompos4615 Egyptians, Sumerians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, Persians and other Middle Easterners were far more advanced than your people. Middle Easterners are the cradle of civilization.
My father once made an astrolabe for his class (he was a teacher). It came in two versions, one handheld of plywood, paper, copper and acetate film - used handheld. The other solely made from acetate film was used on an overhead projector. I still have the plywood version.
Sometimes I love this modern information era. I was reading an article about celestial navigation, astrolabes were briefly mentioned, and out of sheer curiosity, I asked Google how these instruments work. This video came up, which gave me a pretty good general idea. Now I've found a really good UA-cam channel that I was previously unaware of. Subscribed! On another note, I'm a field archaeologist. I've done it for six years and I feel I have at least another six years in me, but curation interests me as a possible future career that's a little less physically demanding.
Cool. I'm a designer and I was looking behind the scenes of the movie Eternals and what inspired their costume designs and I came across the astrolabe and this video popped up. You learn everyday lol
I have to wonder if their corners ever overlap and they hold after-hours contests to vie for supremacy... Would all be very formal of course....the challenger would issue the challenge, the defender chooses the means of the contest...
I think it's wonderful to see how many videos there are now about the astrolabe and its use. My parents bought me a reconstruction when I was a teenager to better learn astronomy and I still use it. The diagram at 1:42 is misleading because the plate is not oriented properly so that it would give a correct reading. The close up of the astrolabe in the curator's hands at 3:04 has a correctly oriented plate. The dotted line they say is "directly above you" is the meridian and it should be pointing straight up towards the ring. The orientation of the plate is critical so that you can to read the correct time since the edge of the astrolabe reads out like a 24 hour clock face. When he says this "is directly above you" he was probably pointing at the zenith, which is the point in the middle of the concentric rings on the plate. As I said before, the dotted line is really the meridian which is the line from North to South that passes through the zenith. Also, the horizon is not a straight line on an astrolabe, but actually the curved line that bends under the pin in the center. If the plate was properly oriented the horizon would begin at around 6a.m. on the right side of the astrolabe's edge, curve under the central pin and end at 6p.m. on the left edge. In this illustration it goes from 8a.m. to 8p.m. I can understand some of the confusion about how it works since that is sort of glossed over. A simple attempt to explain is that you use the alidade to measure the height, or altitude, of the sun (or a star at night) above the horizon. The rete allows you to then position the sun or star on the plate at the same altitude you measured. If you use a rule to trace from the location of the sun or star through the pin to the edge you can read the time out at the edge as a 24 hour clock. More importantly, you can use it to calculate where the sun and stars will be throughout the year. However, and here is the big limitation, so long as you have the plate made for the latitude you are currently at. Still, a remarkable piece of technology!
Thanks for a wonderfully genuine explaination. Love it when people put aside their egos and try to bring out unbiased and factual information as much as possible. That last reflection on whether its clear, showed your intent. Thank you! Also, magnificent invention of our predecessors. Reminded me that we must never forget that we are all here today, in this supposed modern era, because of those who studied hard, progressed science, and invented things. Rather than receiving these things easily, for our conveniences, we must recognize the importance of our own development so that bring about advancement. But NOT at the cost to human values, ethics or biological development. Convenience is a silent killer of growth.
The first astrolabes were mainly used for triangulation giving latitude and simple distances. Al Fazari 8th century, added angular scales. Al Battani, in his book Az-zij was the first to write the mathematics behind the now sophisticated device. They represent the most important stars in the celestial sphere. Alkhawarizmi made good use of it finding the angle of the ecliptic, the Earth's tilt on it's revolution around the sun. However, this astrolabe is quite small. A pocket version? It must have been useful and practical for travellers. Whatever the case during the Islamic civilisation, a whole new craft was invented to keep up with the demand on astrolabes around the Islamic world. Another interesting point is that women too were into this craft to make delicate and accurate astrolabes. These were delicate and beautiful pieces of art as well accurate and practical scientific tools.
@@elkinmontoya9640 he's right, you can. People in the middle east were/are although to a lesser degree in the last 50 years, knowing of the day vs the location of the moon. Knowing the day you'd know the location of each star, and with that you could very easily navigate your way through the nights. :)
A similar astrolabe is displayed at Pera Museum in Istanbul. It is fascinating to see how it actually works because it is not quite easy to guess how. Even though I watched it 4 years too late, thank you so much for this video.
I tend to take for granted that in the present we are surrounded by so many items that have been created with precision. Even down to the most mundane household items are still made with a machine level of quality and precision. Imagine being a peasant 1200 years ago. Most of your interaction with man made objects would mainly be with items made with care and attention but still rather rough (comparatively speaking). But it must’ve been so very rare to come in contact with something made with such attention to detail and top quality. An object which demanded the builder to be precise and unerring in many ways. Absolutely fascinating. Not to besmirch the craftsmanship of tools, clothing, homes, art, etc of those times way back. Just that a machine like object must’ve been very alien to most common folk.
You said it so beautifully both literally & figuratively about such device, I don't know why that touched me so much inside. Thank you for sharing such comment
Thank you, William. That was very interesting and enlightening. I often wonder how much technology has been lost in the mists of time through simple ignorance. Your insight helps to prevent that.
To ancient Astrologers/ Astronomers the planets did not "do things to us" they were signs. Just like a road sign tells you information that you need for your journey, so to the planets in our cosmos. Astrology and Astronomy were two sides of the very same coin. The creation of the Astrolabe was an accumulation of thousands of years of observation and it is one of humanity's greatest inventions.
Just a minor correction! In fact the arm at the back of the device is not العدادة as many might think, but it’s العضادة which is the true equivalent of “arm” in Arabic.
Everyone can be a teacher. It is somewhat surprising that such a young man could be so well-educated. I am surprised that someone so young could teach me so much. This is a fascinating ancient device. He must have been educated buy some of the best educators possible or perhaps he is some kind of prodigy. I found this discussion of ancient devices to be fascinated.
Nuts? Good sir, consider the following. A babe born unto us in say December will have vastly different seasonal exposures to August's child, producing character traits that astrology historically well accounted for. Said infant's dietary intake in those first crucial months will inevitably have been effected, limited, advanced who knows - different is all I'm saying. Same goes for the level of maternal attention bestowed upon said infant, owing predominantly to her increased feminine responsibilities during different months of the year - preparing clothes for Winter, repairing nets during high flood season and so on and so on. In short and by way of conclusion, you need to check your privilege sir. Just because you weren't born in 8th Century Baghdad doesn't mean you should judge those who were! Their traditions arose based on millenia of observation - non-sceintific I grant you but observatiion none the less. This goes for numerous curious events, within which I would include astronomy, ley-line reading, ghostly phenomena and of course the miracles of Astral Projection. I will take your non-response to this comment as deriving from the awe-struck moment of epiphany my wisdom will surely have evinced in you - be bold, it will pass, and you will soon stride anew in this world, reborn with sight keener than before, a skeptic no more. And yes, you can thank me later friend. My very best wishes to you and all readers of this Youtubular service.
egg54543543543 do you have any backup for the claim that "seasonal exposures" or diet during the first months of life (presumably the mothers) have any effect on someone's personality traits or future or are you pulling this out of your ass?
Yeah, cos you'd lose JT! Listen, here's the deal. 1/ Look at life through the eyes of the Ancients. Did they have randomised, double blind testing? Ich don't think so ;-> B/ What did the Ancients have? Broad hypothesae based on common experience acquired over millenia. C/ Light yourself a pipe, sit back, and marvel at the wisdom of the Ancients. Where did it come from? We can only surmise... as I have above. Take care pal. Believe me you'll need it...
Thank you for sharing the video. I am very proud of the contributions of Arab Muslim scholars to the development of human civilization. These civilizational achievements and many others have been erased from history. thanks YOU brother.
Totally agree Imagine those craftsmen made such devices living now a days, and saw Rolex watch, they would say hold my beer Rolex I can do better 😆 although Muslims don't drink
The fact we are reliant on a digital timepiece or phone to tell us what time it is means we have lost the ability to know what real time is, which is what the layout of the stars and heavenly bodies is at any particular moment. That's what time is.
At the beginning, he introduced himself and his job and I jokingly thought "British Museum curator, telling us you're a thief right outta the gate huh?" and had a little laugh to myself. Then he followed his introduction with highlights of historical artifacts from an exhibit from a completely different country and culture. Damn you, John Oliver!
@@adolfotapiagallardo Buen día Sr Tapia, he notado que responde en español aunque los comentarios estén en inglés y me preguntaba porque no ha decidido responder en el mismo idioma de quien pregunta. Sé que no es asunto mío pero se me ocurre que quizá ellos no entiendan español y a lo mejor piensen que sus aportaciones son spam o algo así.
@@NiniHallow amix! estoy en un ordenador portátil (laptop) con google chrome que tiene una extensión de traducción y que funciona muy fácil: se hace click derecho con el mouse y se escoge traducir al español! en este caso traduce TODOS los comentarios! estén en el idioma en que estén! claro que si estoy en el celular, NO sabria que hacer le agradezco mucho su comunicación! muy reconocido! además, ya me convencí de que el astrolabio FUE muy útil en su época! actualmente puede usted visitar este buscador virtual de objetos estelares! se lo recomiendo es magnífico!! www.worldwidetelescope.org/webclient/ y si está en celular, use la app SkEye saludos desde el perú!
Note: they have to calibrated to the latitude where they are used to work accurately. The ancient people who developed them knew this... Because they knew the Earth was NOT flat 😉
I actually wanted to know what the heck these were, I keep seeing these in thematic shows and book illustrations. Recommendations finally got it right.
Great explanation of the ancient predecessor to celestial navigation, now replaced by GPS. Which 'Star' one was born under was actually a pretty big deal back then, and even more important than the 'Sun Sign' astrology we think of today. For example regardless if one 'believes' in such things or their particular political affiliation, it's interesting to note that the current POTUS was born under the fixed star Regulus, known as the Star of Kings and one of the four Royal Stars of Persia. It was also known as the “Heart of the Lion” (or Lion’s Heart, Cor Leonis in Italian).
So the stars are always in the exact same predictable position at the same time over thousands of years almost as if the earth was stationary and they rotated above us.
Well, the stars are slowly moving around and so are we. But thanks to general relativity, what's moving and what's stationary depends on perspective. Most stars are definitely not in the same position from Earth over thousands of years though.
I purchased an astrolab recently. It appears to be of the same material your device is made of. Is it brass? The finish is discolored a bit. What do you use to clean the astrolabe? Should I attempt to even clean it?
That was fascinating. Is the Antikythera mechanism thought to be an astrolabe of sorts? It was funny to me when you said that Astrology was the study of what the sky does to us, because I've always thought of it as what the sky represents to us. Still not science, but interesting. I could watch this all day.
Hi William! As your expertise is the knowledge involved in astrolabe sciences and astronomy, I am wondering if you have in the British Museum an Astrolabe time piece that was sold at Bonham's in London on the 13th December 2011? The time-piece was one of three quadrants. The quadrant bought had the King's Stamp imprinted on the back. it was believed to be a Richard ll find. That Astrolabe clock was found in Australia where Catherine Stewart's husband was banished because she refused to marry into Prussian Royalty and married a local farmer's son instead. When John McIntyre was banished to Australia in 1853 as a prisoner, Catherine gave him valuable antiques so he could return to her at a later time. One of these items given was a Robert ll time piece with that Kings stamp engraved on it. I wonder if you know what kings had the three pieces and I do wonder if it is definitely clear it is Richard ll and not Robert ll. I wonder how clear that stamp is having the Kings endorsement.
If fact, maybe not Polaris. This reference say " key stars which are easily visible with the naked eye such as Rigel and Altair." muslimheritage.com/article/using-astrolabe Although neither Rigel nor Altair are in constellations on the Zodiac, I'm guessing bright stars on the Zodiac would be common. NB the site at the link has a great deal of additional information on how to use an astrolabe.
You use the zodiac to tell the time because the sun is always on the zodiac line, otherwise know as the ecliptic. It's the whole reason why the zodiac is relevant in the first place, it's the very definition of what the zodiac is.
The astrolabe is a very ancient astronomical computer for solving problems relating to time and the position of the Sun and stars in the sky. Several types of astrolabes have been made. Astrolabes are used to show how the sky looks at a specific place at a given time. This is done by drawing the sky on the face of the astrolabe and marking it so positions in the sky are easy to find. To use an astrolabe, you adjust the move able components to a specific date and time. Once set, much of the sky, both visible and invisible, is represented on the face of the instrument. This allows a great many astronomical problems to be solved in a very visual way. Typical uses of the astrolabe include finding the time during the day or night, finding the time of a celestial event such as sunrise or sunset and as a handy reference of celestial positions, there are said to be over a 1000 different uses. Astrolabes were also one of the basic astronomy education tools in the late Middle Ages. Old instruments were also used for astrological purposes. The history of the astrolabe begins more than two thousand years ago. The principles of the astrolabe projection were known before 150 B.C., and true astrolabes were made at about 2 BC. The astrolabe was highly developed in the Islamic world by 800 and was introduced to Europe from Islamic Spain (al-Andalus) in the early 10th century. It was the most popular astronomical instrument until about 1650, when it was replaced by more specialized and accurate instruments. Astrolabes are still appreciated for their unique capabilities and their value for astronomy education. The Astrolabe would not be of any value if the earth was a globe! ua-cam.com/video/o-P2Et-755E/v-deo.html...
A rare book of woodcuts published in the 1400's shows a remarkable slice of life of the past. The astrolabe, flat earth maps then in use and religious understandings are shown. The building of cities, a few swords, wood ships and unsanitized life depictions are a treat for the eyes. See the earth, sun and moon mappings in their earliest form. Some brief occult crossover from early churches to today's religious leaders are explored. The maps are so old they don't even show a compass solar or otherwise. A chronology of woodcut art direct from this near 600 year old treasure. This book is held in a vault and not often seen. Jesus Christ is shown in an end time scenario with silver trumpets sounded by angles and the classic "square hole" resurrection of saints out of the soil.... McIsencraft . ua-cam.com/video/V20e2Ixoza8/v-deo.html
@Mycel Neet. The sun is so bright without it you can only look at it for a few seconds before it hurts too much. I've also noticed the difference between looking at the sun through a darkened window or not. (I'm not actually fool hardy enough to try and have a staring contest with it or anything tho. More like to see if I could)
@Mycel XD That would be presumptuous of me to say that you are a well organized person in your daily life I guess. Love the President of the United States or not he certainly does things his own way. XD
When i forst started surveying in archaeology, i learned to used a plane table & Alidade - an ancient surveying technique involving a flat board and ruler with sights used, i was told, by the Romans. I now realise that the alidade i was using is the same word as the alidada of the astrolabe..... surveying the earth and surveying the heavens linked in the ancient world....
A question that vexes me is Columbus used an astrolabe to navigate with. He was rejected by John II of Portugal because of his lack of knowledge of how far it was to China...he did not know the diameter of the earth. If Polaris is the pole star, and a circle is 360 degrees, one could accurately calculate the circumference by sailing north or south until the declination of Polaris changed one degree and then multiply that distance by 360. He used an astrolabe to sight Polaris to “Latitude Sail” due west. Why had he never figured that out?
Also the brand name of a very popular wine here in New Zealand, _Astrolabe_ they make the usual ho-hum _sauvignon blanc_ from Marlborough that housewives just rave about. I'm going to have to go to the winery and ask them about the name.
How many nights and days of observation, how many calculations, how much metallurgical skill went in to making that device? When one holds an astrolab, one holds centuries in one's hand. Humility is the word.
How very eloquently said.
Indeed..
So much of patience
Modern computers sometimes ruin the coolest historical gadgets.
I wonder about the same things.
"Astrology is seen as somewhat less scientific" - understatement of the century, right there.
Hey now, you don't know that. A babe born unto us in say July will have had vastly different seasonal exposures to January's child, producing character traits that astrology historically well accounted for. Said infant's dietary intake in those first crucial months will inevitably have been effected, limited, advanced who knows - different is all I'm saying. Same goes for the level of maternal attention bestowed upon said infant, owing predominantly to her increased feminine responsibilities during different months of the year - think preparing clothes for Winter, repairing nets during high flood season and so on and so on.
In short and by way of conclusion, you need to check your privilege friend. Just because you weren't born in 8th Century Baghdad doesn't mean you should judge those who were! These traditions arose based on millenia of observation - non-sceintific I grant you but observatiion none the less. This goes for numerous curious events, within which I would include astronomy, ley-line reading, ghostly phenomena and of course Quantum Healing Hypnosis.
I will take your non-response to this comment as deriving from the awe-struck moment of epiphany which my wisdom will surel have evinced in you - be bold, it will pass, and you will stride anew into this world, reborn with sight keener than before, a skeptic no more. And yes, you can thank me later friend. My very best wishes to you and all UA-cam commentators.
egg54543543543
"I will take your non-response to this comment as deriving from the awe-struck moment of epiphany which my wisdom will surel have evinced in you" What a childish statement! You must be very egocentric to think that your wisdom is so much that you, just speaking, are always right and people are lucky and "enlightened" by your speech.
Beyond that: I was born in a tropical region, and the difference between the seasons is almost imperceptible or nonexistent, like much of the Islamic world. In addition, the sky and the seasons are different in other regions of the world and the Islamic culture was spread in a great extension of the globe.
Your argument assumes that the whole world lives in temperate regions and is basically like Europe. And it's almost racist assuming that all other cultures in the world have developed like the European.
In short, it is YOU have to check your privileges and your vision of European white origin applied to others cultures.
Danilo, your fury is correct; you are correct. The time is coming now for you people of the Third World, the Developing World to conquer us. Our hour is past; you grow strong, and we are but the great-great-grandchildren of once great men; we are nothing.
Your time is coming, and Danilo, I beg of you this: when that time comes, have mercy upon us, as we once had no mercy upon you.
I fear you, I fear you.
Pity us, Danilo, Pity the once wise now weak western man. We descend into a civilisational alzheimers.
Show us what it is to be alive again.
We need you; come for us, redeem us. We need you again.
Good luck, Friend.
Nurse, Egg has taken the wrong pills again!
too much truth eh blueman? I know the feeling. Still you'll get used to it... The game is up, friend. Our day is done. It was a good run, this "western" civilisation, we had a time, a good time. Remember the '90s? Me too. Problem is, ever since communism fell, we've had nothing to prop us up inside, except the terrorists maybe, but they were never up to much. No, it's over, it's all over. We have nothing left to give. Capitalism?! Don't make me laugh! No, our only hope now lies in the immigrant's way, his dynamism, his earthy passion, his outrageous existence, is all that can touch us now, can break the rigor mortis grip of a culture consuming itself. Don't worry Bluey, it'll be ok, one day. Danilo, seize my lands!!
The astrolabe was the first widely available hand held computer / calculator. There were expensive, but brass ones were affordable by many. The first book written in modern English, by Chaucer, is a guide to using the astrolabe. I have one and figured out how to use it. It is about 4" in diameter and can tell time to within 15 min depending on season. If you can identify a star in the sky that is on one of the spurs, you can tell time at night even more accurately. I love mine it's a sweet little personal treasure. Bought it at a Renaissance Faire.
Is it a available online?
And the Antikythera Mechanism was the first analog computer. Greeks, man.
@@hermespsychopompos4615 Egyptians, Sumerians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, Persians and other Middle Easterners were far more advanced than your people. Middle Easterners are the cradle of civilization.
a great observation tkx
Not sure I'd call it 'modern' English lol
My father once made an astrolabe for his class (he was a teacher). It came in two versions, one handheld of plywood, paper, copper and acetate film - used handheld. The other solely made from acetate film was used on an overhead projector. I still have the plywood version.
How do you make it?
@@anomalyp8584 Witchcraft
Sometimes I love this modern information era. I was reading an article about celestial navigation, astrolabes were briefly mentioned, and out of sheer curiosity, I asked Google how these instruments work. This video came up, which gave me a pretty good general idea.
Now I've found a really good UA-cam channel that I was previously unaware of. Subscribed!
On another note, I'm a field archaeologist. I've done it for six years and I feel I have at least another six years in me, but curation interests me as a possible future career that's a little less physically demanding.
I was going to say you learn just about nothing from this video.
Cool.
I'm a designer and I was looking behind the scenes of the movie Eternals and what inspired their costume designs and I came across the astrolabe and this video popped up. You learn everyday lol
unfortunately, it works only for english speakers (
At this point I've started imagining that every curator at the museum have a literal corner in which they spend their days :D
They do!
I'm guessing you're very close to the truth.
I have to wonder if their corners ever overlap and they hold after-hours contests to vie for supremacy... Would all be very formal of course....the challenger would issue the challenge, the defender chooses the means of the contest...
That architecture must be non-euclidean
I would 😂😭🧡🧡
I think it's wonderful to see how many videos there are now about the astrolabe and its use. My parents bought me a reconstruction when I was a teenager to better learn astronomy and I still use it. The diagram at 1:42 is misleading because the plate is not oriented properly so that it would give a correct reading. The close up of the astrolabe in the curator's hands at 3:04 has a correctly oriented plate. The dotted line they say is "directly above you" is the meridian and it should be pointing straight up towards the ring. The orientation of the plate is critical so that you can to read the correct time since the edge of the astrolabe reads out like a 24 hour clock face. When he says this "is directly above you" he was probably pointing at the zenith, which is the point in the middle of the concentric rings on the plate. As I said before, the dotted line is really the meridian which is the line from North to South that passes through the zenith. Also, the horizon is not a straight line on an astrolabe, but actually the curved line that bends under the pin in the center. If the plate was properly oriented the horizon would begin at around 6a.m. on the right side of the astrolabe's edge, curve under the central pin and end at 6p.m. on the left edge. In this illustration it goes from 8a.m. to 8p.m.
I can understand some of the confusion about how it works since that is sort of glossed over. A simple attempt to explain is that you use the alidade to measure the height, or altitude, of the sun (or a star at night) above the horizon. The rete allows you to then position the sun or star on the plate at the same altitude you measured. If you use a rule to trace from the location of the sun or star through the pin to the edge you can read the time out at the edge as a 24 hour clock. More importantly, you can use it to calculate where the sun and stars will be throughout the year. However, and here is the big limitation, so long as you have the plate made for the latitude you are currently at.
Still, a remarkable piece of technology!
Thanks for a wonderfully genuine explaination. Love it when people put aside their egos and try to bring out unbiased and factual information as much as possible. That last reflection on whether its clear, showed your intent. Thank you!
Also, magnificent invention of our predecessors. Reminded me that we must never forget that we are all here today, in this supposed modern era, because of those who studied hard, progressed science, and invented things. Rather than receiving these things easily, for our conveniences, we must recognize the importance of our own development so that bring about advancement. But NOT at the cost to human values, ethics or biological development. Convenience is a silent killer of growth.
I'm here because of the anime ORB: On the movements of the earth
This is so interesting. I'm learning both astrology and Arabic. Thanks for sharing!
The first astrolabes were mainly used for triangulation giving latitude and simple distances. Al Fazari 8th century, added angular scales. Al Battani, in his book Az-zij was the first to write the mathematics behind the now sophisticated device. They represent the most important stars in the celestial sphere. Alkhawarizmi made good use of it finding the angle of the ecliptic, the Earth's tilt on it's revolution around the sun.
However, this astrolabe is quite small. A pocket version? It must have been useful and practical for travellers.
Whatever the case during the Islamic civilisation, a whole new craft was invented to keep up with the demand on astrolabes around the Islamic world.
Another interesting point is that women too were into this craft to make delicate and accurate astrolabes. These were delicate and beautiful pieces of art as well accurate and practical scientific tools.
Negative they were used to navigate with.
@@audijohns9187 You must be thinking of the mariner's astrolabe
@@audijohns9187 Nowhere does he say they were NOT used for navigation. Latitude & distance are used for navigation.
@@elkinmontoya9640 he's right, you can. People in the middle east were/are although to a lesser degree in the last 50 years, knowing of the day vs the location of the moon. Knowing the day you'd know the location of each star, and with that you could very easily navigate your way through the nights. :)
@@lindaj5492 😁
I have never been so engrossed in a video on you tube.
Thank you.
Ashraf from Scotland 🏴
WhereabootsinScotlandyefae, Ashraf?
A similar astrolabe is displayed at Pera Museum in Istanbul. It is fascinating to see how it actually works because it is not quite easy to guess how. Even though I watched it 4 years too late, thank you so much for this video.
I came across astrolabes while studying for GCSE and was wondering how they actually worked. This video answered all of my questions, thank you.
This is by far the best explanation at how these are used. Thank you.
Really? This is the best?! 🤣 this might change your opinion... m.ua-cam.com/video/rKAjrCZqw0M/v-deo.html
His voice is so calming.
Yes, I like the way he speaks.
Needs a little more energy.
I came here because I got curious from watching an anime called orb: On the movements of the earth
Same comment lol😂
Same lol, I wanna know how tf it works.
@ForeverTraitor ngl I still don't understand how it works lol
I tend to take for granted that in the present we are surrounded by so many items that have been created with precision. Even down to the most mundane household items are still made with a machine level of quality and precision.
Imagine being a peasant 1200 years ago. Most of your interaction with man made objects would mainly be with items made with care and attention but still rather rough (comparatively speaking).
But it must’ve been so very rare to come in contact with something made with such attention to detail and top quality. An object which demanded the builder to be precise and unerring in many ways.
Absolutely fascinating.
Not to besmirch the craftsmanship of tools, clothing, homes, art, etc of those times way back. Just that a machine like object must’ve been very alien to most common folk.
That's such a beautiful device, thank you for the in depth explanation and telling us what each part was called
Astrolabe: Holding the World, the Heavens, and the Underworld in your hand(s).
You said it so beautifully both literally & figuratively about such device, I don't know why that touched me so much inside. Thank you for sharing such comment
Interesting. I've seen these devices but never knew how they worked.
Do you think we care?
egg54543543543 What's your problem mate? A little angsty?
sorry, various things have been getting me down lately. I apologise.
I still don't know how they work.
true. i need further lectures :))
Thank you, William.
That was very interesting and enlightening.
I often wonder how much technology has been lost in the mists of time through simple ignorance. Your insight helps to prevent that.
This is amazing. Thank you so much for this video. Now I want more from any civilization! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, I had always wondered how an astrolabe works!
Well, cool! More of this kind of ancient and medieval astronomy, please!
Yeah. I liked his presentation too. The gloves and respect for the object. He makes me want to go do some research
Wicked!
I've seen one in a museum in Florence once. I had no clue what it was for never mind how it works.
And now I'm mindblown. 🤯
To ancient Astrologers/ Astronomers the planets did not "do things to us" they were signs. Just like a road sign tells you information that you need for your journey, so to the planets in our cosmos. Astrology and Astronomy were two sides of the very same coin. The creation of the Astrolabe was an accumulation of thousands of years of observation and it is one of humanity's greatest inventions.
Just a minor correction! In fact the arm at the back of the device is not العدادة as many might think, but it’s العضادة which is the true equivalent of “arm” in Arabic.
I heard Neil deGrasse Tyson mention this and had to check it out further. Your explanation was enlightening. Thanks so much for this video!
Same
@@chriseddiechannel4729 Why would Neil Tyson the heavyweight champion of the world talk abouylt Astrolube?
I actually own one and never understood it but thought it was a beautiful object now I’ll really love the one I have more
I just visited the Planetarium in Chicago and saw one of these up close....I'm obsessed w this now. I want to learn everything about this!!!
Thank you for a very interesting video. I'd like to see more of William.
One of my favorite books by my favorite author, J. I. M. Stewart a.k.a. Michael Innes, is "The Madonna of the Astrolabe," q.v.
Exquisite device and great lesson, thank you.
We are looking forward to more episodes.
Cheers to the pursuit of the cosmos!
What an awesome video and explanation bro, thank you so much!!
I have an medieval Jewish astrolabe passed down in my family. Fun to learn to use.
My Grandma has got one just like that in her shed. She uses it as a doorstop.
Everyone can be a teacher. It is somewhat surprising that such a young man could be so well-educated. I am surprised that someone so young could teach me so much. This is a fascinating ancient device. He must have been educated buy some of the best educators possible or perhaps he is some kind of prodigy. I found this discussion of ancient devices to be fascinated.
Amazing. Excellent presentation. Thank you!
They found 2 of these near where i live in the waters off of eastern Canada (Mushrow Astrolabes)
Is he really trying to not to upset the astrology nuts? :)
Nuts? Good sir, consider the following.
A babe born unto us in say December will have vastly different seasonal exposures to August's child, producing character traits that astrology historically well accounted for. Said infant's dietary intake in those first crucial months will inevitably have been effected, limited, advanced who knows - different is all I'm saying. Same goes for the level of maternal attention bestowed upon said infant, owing predominantly to her increased feminine responsibilities during different months of the year - preparing clothes for Winter, repairing nets during high flood season and so on and so on.
In short and by way of conclusion, you need to check your privilege sir. Just because you weren't born in 8th Century Baghdad doesn't mean you should judge those who were! Their traditions arose based on millenia of observation - non-sceintific I grant you but observatiion none the less. This goes for numerous curious events, within which I would include astronomy, ley-line reading, ghostly phenomena and of course the miracles of Astral Projection.
I will take your non-response to this comment as deriving from the awe-struck moment of epiphany my wisdom will surely have evinced in you - be bold, it will pass, and you will soon stride anew in this world, reborn with sight keener than before, a skeptic no more. And yes, you can thank me later friend. My very best wishes to you and all readers of this Youtubular service.
egg54543543543 do you have any backup for the claim that "seasonal exposures" or diet during the first months of life (presumably the mothers) have any effect on someone's personality traits or future or are you pulling this out of your ass?
Why so sensitive? Don't be such a reason fiend. What's wrong with broad hypotheseses? Cheez.
That's generally not a fight worth starting.
Yeah, cos you'd lose JT! Listen, here's the deal.
1/ Look at life through the eyes of the Ancients. Did they have randomised, double blind testing? Ich don't think so ;->
B/ What did the Ancients have? Broad hypothesae based on common experience acquired over millenia.
C/ Light yourself a pipe, sit back, and marvel at the wisdom of the Ancients. Where did it come from? We can only surmise... as I have above.
Take care pal. Believe me you'll need it...
Thank you for sharing the video. I am very proud of the contributions of Arab Muslim scholars to the development of human civilization. These civilizational achievements and many others have been erased from history. thanks YOU brother.
Fascinating - thanks for your explanation.
The craftsmanship is just breathtaking. Even for today's standards.
Totally agree
Imagine those craftsmen made such devices living now a days, and saw Rolex watch, they would say hold my beer Rolex I can do better 😆 although Muslims don't drink
This guy is one of the most interesting curators ive watched. Brilliant. I hope he makes much more videos.
I loved, great job. There is the possibility that you can recommend an article or thesis to study a little more in detail how the astrolabe is used.
Who else wants to own one?
Very much so
unintentional asmr too love this thank you
The fact we are reliant on a digital timepiece or phone to tell us what time it is means we have lost the ability to know what real time is, which is what the layout of the stars and heavenly bodies is at any particular moment. That's what time is.
I wonder if this is where Phillip Pullman got inspiration from for the Alethiometer in His Dark Materials?
Of course he did
This is amazing, could you please do more videos on scientific instruments?
Fascinating. I want one even though an app on my phone can do it.
I would never know time date or where I was... But I did learn so very much...
very interesting, i would like an extended video on how is works, may b 3 main readings that can be done.
At the beginning, he introduced himself and his job and I jokingly thought "British Museum curator, telling us you're a thief right outta the gate huh?" and had a little laugh to myself.
Then he followed his introduction with highlights of historical artifacts from an exhibit from a completely different country and culture.
Damn you, John Oliver!
So... an expensive hi-tech miniaturized multi-purpose tool. What does that remind me of? (Not that I have one.)
This man is ASMR for the ears, and FINE for the eyes...lol😘🥰
I bought an astrolabe in Morocco some years ago and gave it to my father. I'll have to send him this video and maybe he can make some use out of it.
este video tiene serias deficiencias y prejuicios ... te recomiendo el siguiente: ua-cam.com/video/zYQnV7xRhko/v-deo.html
@@adolfotapiagallardo Buen día Sr Tapia, he notado que responde en español aunque los comentarios estén en inglés y me preguntaba porque no ha decidido responder en el mismo idioma de quien pregunta. Sé que no es asunto mío pero se me ocurre que quizá ellos no entiendan español y a lo mejor piensen que sus aportaciones son spam o algo así.
@@NiniHallow amix! estoy en un ordenador portátil (laptop) con google chrome que tiene una extensión de traducción y que funciona muy fácil: se hace click derecho con el mouse y se escoge traducir al español! en este caso traduce TODOS los comentarios! estén en el idioma en que estén! claro que si estoy en el celular, NO sabria que hacer
le agradezco mucho su comunicación! muy reconocido!
además, ya me convencí de que el astrolabio FUE muy útil en su época! actualmente puede usted visitar este buscador virtual de objetos estelares! se lo recomiendo es magnífico!!
www.worldwidetelescope.org/webclient/
y si está en celular, use la app SkEye
saludos desde el perú!
Note: they have to calibrated to the latitude where they are used to work accurately. The ancient people who developed them knew this... Because they knew the Earth was NOT flat 😉
@@All4Grogg exactly, I see many try to say they are off and incorrect.
Makes good sense to me but I have some background in amateur astronomy and flight navigation. Thank you...I thought that was well done.
Does it still work? Very clever
I know this is 5 years old but Very interesting, Thanks!
Thanks! I was time travelling and needed this. I tried Google maps offline but my phone disappears there.
He has such a calm voice °v°
Greetings, Aloha to All! Awesome content
Hello from Uzbekistan for everyone, I'm from al-Buxoriy's (Bukhariy) country
Unless I missed it, you neglected an important point, this is all about latitude. So they were good at reckoning how far North or South they were.
He mentioned that when discussing the interchangeable disks.
it's rather like a smartgadget. amazing combination of artistry and engineering.
This was incredible!!!!
I actually wanted to know what the heck these were, I keep seeing these in thematic shows and book illustrations. Recommendations finally got it right.
I would really really love to find out those thousand uses that were discovered. SO interesting!
As an Arab, Kursi means Chair in English, and Arsh means Throne. Just saying.
Beautiful and inventive.
Great explanation of the ancient predecessor to celestial navigation, now replaced by GPS. Which 'Star' one was born under was actually a pretty big deal back then, and even more important than the 'Sun Sign' astrology we think of today. For example regardless if one 'believes' in such things or their particular political affiliation, it's interesting to note that the current POTUS was born under the fixed star Regulus, known as the Star of Kings and one of the four Royal Stars of Persia. It was also known as the “Heart of the Lion” (or Lion’s Heart, Cor Leonis in Italian).
As many ancient inventions, this impresses me infinitely more than an iPhone.
Definitely made sense. Thank you.
Did this fella didn't really want this job, today. I'm glad it makes sense to him, all I got was a vocabulary lesson. Help?
‘Astronomy was there to serve Astrology …’. I like that 🌝
So the stars are always in the exact same predictable position at the same time over thousands of years almost as if the earth was stationary and they rotated above us.
Well, the stars are slowly moving around and so are we.
But thanks to general relativity, what's moving and what's stationary depends on perspective. Most stars are definitely not in the same position from Earth over thousands of years though.
I purchased an astrolab recently. It appears to be of the same material your device is made of. Is it brass? The finish is discolored a bit. What do you use to clean the astrolabe? Should I attempt to even clean it?
Thanks for the subtitles
That was fascinating. Is the Antikythera mechanism thought to be an astrolabe of sorts? It was funny to me when you said that Astrology was the study of what the sky does to us, because I've always thought of it as what the sky represents to us. Still not science, but interesting. I could watch this all day.
From what I know about the antikithera mechanism, it was for predicting eclipses and other future events in celestial phenomena.
Hi William! As your expertise is the knowledge involved in astrolabe sciences and astronomy, I am wondering if you have in the British Museum an Astrolabe time piece that was sold at Bonham's in London on the 13th December 2011? The time-piece was one of three quadrants. The quadrant bought had the King's Stamp imprinted on the back. it was believed to be a Richard ll find. That Astrolabe clock was found in Australia where Catherine Stewart's husband was banished because she refused to marry into Prussian Royalty and married a local farmer's son instead. When John McIntyre was banished to Australia in 1853 as a prisoner, Catherine gave him valuable antiques so he could return to her at a later time. One of these items given was a Robert ll time piece with that Kings stamp engraved on it. I wonder if you know what kings had the three pieces and I do wonder if it is definitely clear it is Richard ll and not Robert ll. I wonder how clear that stamp is having the Kings endorsement.
I would like to know which stars they would use. obviously the North Star is one of them but what are the other 4?
If fact, maybe not Polaris. This reference say " key stars which are easily visible with the naked eye such as Rigel and Altair."
muslimheritage.com/article/using-astrolabe
Although neither Rigel nor Altair are in constellations on the Zodiac, I'm guessing bright stars on the Zodiac would be common.
NB the site at the link has a great deal of additional information on how to use an astrolabe.
Bright stars like Rigel and Sirius if I remember correctly
You use the zodiac to tell the time because the sun is always on the zodiac line, otherwise know as the ecliptic. It's the whole reason why the zodiac is relevant in the first place, it's the very definition of what the zodiac is.
The
astrolabe is a very ancient astronomical computer for solving problems
relating to time and the position of the Sun and stars in the sky.
Several types of astrolabes have been made. Astrolabes are used to show
how the sky looks at a specific place at a given time. This is
done by drawing the sky on the face of the astrolabe and marking it so
positions in the sky are easy to find. To use an astrolabe, you adjust
the move able components to a specific date and time. Once set, much of
the sky, both visible and invisible, is represented on the face of the
instrument. This allows a great many astronomical problems to be solved
in a very visual way. Typical uses of the astrolabe include finding the
time during the day or night, finding the time of a celestial event such
as sunrise or sunset and as a handy reference of celestial positions,
there are said to be over a 1000 different uses. Astrolabes were also
one of the basic astronomy education tools in the late Middle Ages. Old
instruments were also used for astrological purposes. The history of the
astrolabe begins more than two thousand years ago. The principles of
the astrolabe projection were known before 150 B.C., and true astrolabes
were made at about 2 BC. The astrolabe was highly developed in the
Islamic world by 800 and was introduced to Europe from Islamic Spain
(al-Andalus) in the early 10th century. It was the most popular
astronomical instrument until about 1650, when it was replaced by more
specialized and accurate instruments. Astrolabes are still appreciated
for their unique capabilities and their value for astronomy education.
The Astrolabe would not be of any value if the earth was a globe! ua-cam.com/video/o-P2Et-755E/v-deo.html...
A rare book of woodcuts published in the 1400's shows a remarkable slice of life of the past. The astrolabe, flat earth maps then in use and religious understandings are shown. The building of cities, a few swords, wood ships and unsanitized life depictions are a treat for the eyes. See the earth, sun and moon mappings in their earliest form. Some brief occult crossover from early churches to today's religious leaders are explored. The maps are so old they don't even show a compass solar or otherwise. A chronology of woodcut art direct from this near 600 year old treasure. This book is held in a vault and not often seen. Jesus Christ is shown in an end time scenario with silver trumpets sounded by angles and the classic "square hole" resurrection of saints out of the soil.... McIsencraft . ua-cam.com/video/V20e2Ixoza8/v-deo.html
1:00 I think that's something of an understatement.
Thanks for your video.
Is there a modern manufacturer of a reasonably workable, accurate fac-simile of an astrolabe?
Astrographs have revolutionized our world
I've looked at the sun and am not blind. XD
Thank you for the information. Very complex and valuable instrument.
@Mycel
Neet. The sun is so bright without it you can only look at it for a few seconds before it hurts too much. I've also noticed the difference between looking at the sun through a darkened window or not. (I'm not actually fool hardy enough to try and have a staring contest with it or anything tho. More like to see if I could)
@Mycel
XD
That would be presumptuous of me to say that you are a well organized person in your daily life I guess.
Love the President of the United States or not he certainly does things his own way. XD
When i forst started surveying in archaeology, i learned to used a plane table & Alidade - an ancient surveying technique involving a flat board and ruler with sights used, i was told, by the Romans.
I now realise that the alidade i was using is the same word as the alidada of the astrolabe..... surveying the earth and surveying the heavens linked in the ancient world....
I learned all that the stuff that i wasn't heard in my Life
A question that vexes me is Columbus used an astrolabe to navigate with. He was rejected by John II of Portugal because of his lack of knowledge of how far it was to China...he did not know the diameter of the earth. If Polaris is the pole star, and a circle is 360 degrees, one could accurately calculate the circumference by sailing north or south until the declination of Polaris changed one degree and then multiply that distance by 360. He used an astrolabe to sight Polaris to “Latitude Sail” due west. Why had he never figured that out?
i have like this equipment. for astrology. we dont have aby idea of this things.. we dug up this, for treasure hunting.
I like it ❤
Thanks
Also the brand name of a very popular wine here in New Zealand, _Astrolabe_ they make the usual ho-hum _sauvignon blanc_ from Marlborough that housewives just rave about. I'm going to have to go to the winery and ask them about the name.
Thanks for the help (now im not failing my history test)
I searched for a long time, trying to find the measurements for the astrolabe, but I could not find them. Can you give me some information?
Pretty good, thank you!
Ill never use them but i like them because they look cool