Astrolabes are considered, by many, to be among the most sophisticated scientific instruments ever made. It is sometimes even called an ancient astronomical calculator, a "mathematical jewel", or an analog calculator. An astrolabe is a multi-functional measuring device used by merchants, astronomers, navigators, and many other occupations. The astrolabe is to tell the time (day or night), predict when the rise and set of the sun will be, determine latitude and longitude, survey, and even determine the height of structures.
An astrolabe is used to show how the sky should look at a specific place at a specific time. This is done by drawing the sky onto the astrolabe's face, and marking it in such a way that positions in the sky are easy to locate. To use an astrolabe you adjust the moveable components to a specific date and time. Once you had set the device, the whole sky, both the invisible and visible, was represented on the face of the astrolabe. This device solved many astronomical problems in a very visual and easy to understand way, and also revolutionized travel during the time. But, the original astrolabe's were not designed for navigation.
The astrolabe was invented in ancient Greece in the 2nd century BCE by an astronomer by the name of Hipparchus, or by a 3rd century mathematician called Appolonius of Perga (it depends on the document you read). This original design was a planispheric astrolabe, and was not designed for use in navigation. But, during the Islamic Golden Age a mathematician by the name of Muhammad al-Fazari took the original greek design of the astrolabe and built upon it, creating new uses for the astrolabe from praying to navigation. And with al-Fazari's new advance in the astrolabe travel in the Islamic Empire was revolutionized. Merchants, ships, pilgrims, and caravans could use the astrolabe to easily find their way around the empire. Travel had become a far easier task, for now you didn't have hope you were traveling in remotely the right direction when out in the desert; now you could now which direction to head, even if you had lost the way. And boats didn't have to stay within sight of the shore, for fear of never finding it again, for they could now the direction in which shore lay. This revolution in travel promoted even more trade inside of the Islamic Empire, and especially allowed for trade along much longer distances than before. And with this increase in trade came a diffusion of new cultures and ideas into the Islamic Empire. The Islamic astrolabe, similar in function to a compass nowadays, was an extremely useful multi-tool during the Islamic Empire, allowing for easy travel and revolutionizing trade.
An astrolabe is used to show how the sky should look at a specific place at a specific time. This is done by drawing the sky onto the astrolabe's face, and marking it in such a way that positions in the sky are easy to locate. To use an astrolabe you adjust the moveable components to a specific date and time. Once you had set the device, the whole sky, both the invisible and visible, was represented on the face of the astrolabe. This device solved many astronomical problems in a very visual and easy to understand way, and also revolutionized travel during the time. But, the original astrolabe's were not designed for navigation.
The astrolabe was invented in ancient Greece in the 2nd century BCE by an astronomer by the name of Hipparchus, or by a 3rd century mathematician called Appolonius of Perga (it depends on the document you read). This original design was a planispheric astrolabe, and was not designed for use in navigation. But, during the Islamic Golden Age a mathematician by the name of Muhammad al-Fazari took the original greek design of the astrolabe and built upon it, creating new uses for the astrolabe from praying to navigation. And with al-Fazari's new advance in the astrolabe travel in the Islamic Empire was revolutionized. Merchants, ships, pilgrims, and caravans could use the astrolabe to easily find their way around the empire. Travel had become a far easier task, for now you didn't have hope you were traveling in remotely the right direction when out in the desert; now you could now which direction to head, even if you had lost the way. And boats didn't have to stay within sight of the shore, for fear of never finding it again, for they could now the direction in which shore lay. This revolution in travel promoted even more trade inside of the Islamic Empire, and especially allowed for trade along much longer distances than before. And with this increase in trade came a diffusion of new cultures and ideas into the Islamic Empire. The Islamic astrolabe, similar in function to a compass nowadays, was an extremely useful multi-tool during the Islamic Empire, allowing for easy travel and revolutionizing trade.