Spherical astrolabe

Description

The presented item is a wooden model of a spherical astrolabe used by Nicolaus Copernicus to observe the sky. The instrument was made based on the description provided in De revolutionibus orbium coelestium. It consists of six concentric wooden rings fitted with angle scales. These types of astrolabes were used to determine the ecliptic coordinates of the planets and the moon and to determine the local time. A total of 65 records of observations made by Copernicus using this type of astrolabe were preserved (53 in Warmia, 9 in Italy and 3 in Kraków). All were set to the local Kraków meridian. **For more images and further information, visit:** https://muzea.malopolska.pl/en/objects-list/2784 Inventory number: 2744/V Localisation of the physical object: Jagiellonian University Museum, Collegium Maius **Digitalisation: Regional Digitalisation Lab, Małopolska Institute of Culture in Kraków, Poland; “Virtual Museums of Małopolska” project**