3.

5 Applications of the Model 49

10 90 10 90 10 90
80 80 80
10 30 10 30 10 30
20 20 20 20 20 20
C a n CncC GemC 70 C a n CncC GemC 70 C a n CncC GemC 70
20 i 20 i 20 i
c e 30 20 10 e m i n c e 30 20 10 e m i n c e 30 20 10 e m i n
30 r G 10 30 r G 10 30 r G 10
10 s 10 s 10 s
Cnc 30
C Juniu C 60 30
C
Cnc Juniu C 60 30
C
Cnc Juniu C 60
Ju
31 Gem 30 Ju
31 Gem 30 Ju
31 Gem 30
li 20 li 20 li 20
Leo

75

75
Leo Leo

75

75
40 us
C
C 40
C
us 75 75 75 C 40
C
us C
10 20 Tau 50 10 20 Tau 50 10 20 Tau 50
31 s 20 31 s 20 31 s 20
iu iu iu
60

60
60

60

60
s s s
L a u L 60 60 a u L a u
75
M 10 r M 10 r M 10 r
e

e
50

50

50
u

u
o

o
20

20

20
40

40

40
75

a
10

10

10
10

10

10
T

T
lta

E
El
A

A
45 ni
45

45

45

45
ta

45 45 n

30

30

30
n
u

u
ni

Deneb 60
g

g
C

C
lla
Leo

Leo

Leo
pe
u

u
Tau

Tau

Tau
60

60

60
Ca
st

st

st
a
C

C
ell Algol
30

30

30
20 s

20 s

20 s
30

30

30
p
60 Ca Ve
u

u
30

30

30
XVI XV XIV XIII XII XI X IX VIII ga
Ve 12 Mirach Den 12

l i 20

l i 20

l i 20
ga eb
1
Vir 31

Vir 31

Vir 31

C
30 30
30 11

Ari

Ari

Ari
30 45 30

s
1 30 Castor 30 l
Algo
C

C
Den
11
2
eb Alpheratz
3 10
70

70

70
ri

ri

ri
1 2 3 4 5 Scheat 6 7 8 9 10 11 9
10

10

10
2 45 Algo
l 4 or
Alphecca 8 Cast

20

20

20
10 5 7

Ap

Ap

Ap
20

20

20
6
3 tor Alcyone Mirach x

10

10

10
Pollu
V i

V i

V i
9 Cas Hamal

s
4 8 30
5

i e

i e

i e
6 7 ux Alphec
Mirach Poll Arcturus
ca
Alpheratz
r g

r g

r g
15 Alph
ecca 30 15 15
Scheat Alcyone
15

A r

A r
15

A r
15 15
10

10

10
Aldebaran Hamal
Sep

Sep

Sep
ne
Alcyo
80

80

80
Alpheratz
20

20
Markab

20
Scheat
o

o
Denebola an
Arcturus Zosma Algieba Aldebar

10

10

10
Hamal

10

10

10
ran Rasalh

31

31

31
Rasalh
ague A l de ba Regulus ague 15
tember

tember

tember
Arcturus
15 Markab Denebola
Markab Altair Regulus
VirC

AriC

VirC

AriC

VirC

AriC
Denebola Altair Betelgeuse
Altair Regulus Betelgeuse
20

20

20
Procyon
Procyon
XVII XVI XV XIV XIII XII XI X IX VIII Procyon VII
90
30

90
30

90
30
0 0 0 0 0 0

Martius

Martius

Martius
30
90

30
90

30
90
20

20

20
XIX XX XXI XXII XXIII XXIV I II III IV V
LibC

LibC

LibC
PscC

PscC

PscC
-15
30

30

30
i
Zubenes ch am al Spica Zubeneschamali
Rigel Zubeneschamali Spica -15 Rigel
Spica
bi
Zubenelgenu
10

10

10
10

10

10
Zubenelgenubi

10

10

10
e s

e s

e s
20

20

20
80

80

80
L i b

L i b

L i b
-30 -15 -15 Zubenelgenubi -15 -15 -15
-15 Sirius -15
Sirius

s c

s c

s c
Fomalhaut
10

10

10
8 7 6 5 -30
Oc

Oc

Oc
r a

r a

r a
4
res Fomalhaut

P i

P i

P i
Anta
9 3
res
20

20

20
6
10 -45 Anta
7
t o 20

t o 20

t o 20
28 5

28

28
20

20

20
2 Antares
8 4

10

10

10
Acam 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 9 3

70

70

70
be

be

be
11 ar Fomalhaut
10
-30
2
-45
Lib

Lib

Lib
PscC

PscC

PscC
1 -30 -30 -30 11 -30
r

r
-30 -30 Acam 1
s

s
ar
C

C
20

20

20
12
iu

iu

iu
-60
12
la la
au XX XXI XXII XXIII XXIV I II III IV au
30

30

30
Sh Sh
ar

ar

ar
30

30

30
Acamar
30

30

30
rC

rC

rC
Sco

Sco

Sco
60

60

60
ck ent
10 r u

10 r u

10 r u
Acrux
aco il K -60
Aq

Aq

Aq
Pe R ig
31

31

31
C

C
b

b
-45 -45 -45
e

e
Kent

e
Ca
5

-4

5
Rigil

-4
C ck Acrux
-4

-4
F

F
no
S

S
5

5
aco
20 s

20 s

20 s
-75 pu
Pe
an
10

10

10
s
c

c
u

u
N N N
op
40

40

40
o

o
10 10 10
us

i
o o Peacock o
50

50

50
v v v
r

r
p em a p em a p em -75
a
31
Rigil Kent
i u i Acrux -60 31 u i 31 u
u b u b -60 -60 u b
-60

-60

-60

-60
20 s e q 20 s e q 20 s e q
20 r s A 0 20 r s A 0 20 r s A 0
50 Sco iu 1 50 Sco iu 1 50 Sco iu 1
C ar rC 40 C
-75 ar rC 40 C ar rC 40
Geor MIII nu 20 Aq Georg IV nu 20 Aq Georg V nu 20 Aq
g Zotti V
indobonæ fecit Anno M Ja Zotti Vindobonæ fecit Anno MM Ja Zotti Vindobonæ fecit Anno MM Ja
30 SgrC 30 C 30 SgrC 30 C 30 SgrC 30 C
60 S a Dece 10 sCap 30 60 S a Dece 10 sCap 30 60 S a Dece 10 sCap 30
mber mber mber
g 10
31 n u 30 g 10
31 n u 30 g i 10
31 n u 30
10 i t t a 20 o r 10 i t t a 20 o r 10 t t a r 20 o r
r i u r i c 20 r i u r i c 20 i u s SgrC r i c 20
70
20
s SgrC CapCC a p 70
20
s SgrC CapCC a p 70
20 CapCC a p
10 20 10 20 10 20
30 30 30
80 10 80 10 80 10
90 90 90

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 3.9: Universal astrolabes: (a) Saphaea Arzachelis (stereographic) – (b) orthogonal
projection after DE R OJAS – (c) optimally spaced grid after DE LA H IRE.

3.4.5 Universal Astrolabes

An important group of instruments with modified backs are Universal Astrolabes which come
in 3 different versions and do not need a tympan for every latitude, but are capable of solving
problems for any latitude, although they are generally more difficult to operate (Figure 3.9).
The projection generally is executed with the celestial sphere seen from the First Point of
Aries à, but with different eyepoint distances.

3.4.6 Persian Astrolabes

The classical Persian astrolabe design includes several other diagrams that suited everyday
needs of Muslim believers, like determination of prayer times and the prayer direction (Fig-
ure 3.10).

3.5 Applications of the Model

The diagrams described in the previous chapter were programmed as PostScript graphics
files (EPS), promising high portability in other graphics applications, and computational
precision for all mathematically constructed lines, which is hardly achievable by manual
construction in a common graphics editor. Also, by tweaking the provided configuration
variables, it is possible to produce a variety of horizon plates (tympans) for any latitude, or
an instrument with star positions for any period within several centuries around 2000.
For practical demonstrations of such instruments to a wider audience, the cheapest so-
lution is a simple print on cardboard as has also been done in the original period, where the
rete can now also be printed on an overhead slide. For higher durability, such an instrument
can be laminated. Better for handling and practical experience, however, is the production
of rigid instruments.