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Tomorrow is my first day of class this semester at Duke University.

For my first year seminar I am asking the students to build and use an astrolabe. It is a great way to both get a physical understanding of the sky, and to really appreciate the sophistication of early astronomy.

The astrolabe was used for centuries to tell the time, navigate, etc. Now you can make and use one too by following the instructions here:

in-the-sky.org/astrolabe/index…

#astronomy #astrodon #histodons #teaching

A handmade astrolabe made from card-stock and transparency sits on a table on some notes for doing calculations with the astrolabe and material for building new ones. The picture is the of the front of the astrolabe and you can see the clear piece with constellations overlaying the background of the sky elevation markings with time and elevation scales on the outer rim.

Make your own astrolabe - 1. Introduction

Make your own model astrolabe, using a cut-and-glue kit.
Dominic Ford (In-The-Sky.org)
#astronomy #Astrodon #histodons #teaching
This entry was edited (1 year ago)
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