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To clarify the headline: this is the earliest astrolabe _for maritime use_ _yet found_, dating to AD 1495-1502. Astrolabes in general go back to classical time
by zazen 9y ago
To clarify the headline: this is the earliest astrolabe _for maritime use_ _yet found_, dating to AD 1495-1502. Astrolabes in general go back to classical times. I guess the headline is getting at that distinction with the phrase "navigation tool", but it didn't become clear to me until I read TFA.
- johnlbevan2 9y agoIt's not a great headline given many navigational tools vastly predate this. E.g. the (arguably) most obvious maritime navigational tool being the compass: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_compass#Early_navigational_compass https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_compass#Early_n... > The compass was used in Song Dynasty China by the military for navigational orienteering by 1040–44,[15][28][29] and was used for maritime navigation by 1111 to 1117
- abrowne 9y agoThe whole article has some issues: https://thonyc.wordpress.com/2017/10/24/getting-names-right-is-rather-important-in-the-history-of-science/ https://thonyc.wordpress.com/2017/10/24/getting-names-right-...
- LeifCarrotson 9y agoPlease don't just link to your blog instead of making a comment here. At the very least, summarize your post and link to the extrapolation. "This is specifically a marine astrolabe for determining latitude from the elevation of a specific star, not a generic astrolabe with many other functions. It's also not the earliest navigational tool. These names and distinctions are important, and getting them wrong is indicative of damaging, incorrect click-bait journalism. I go into more detail on my blog: [link]"
- abrowne 9y agoYes, I should have summarized, but it's not my blog, just one I read. So I was just being lazy, posting as I went out through door to work, not trying to get clicks on my site or something.