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Mariner's Astrolabe
The mariner's astrolabe was an important astronomical instrument for determining latitude in 16th-century European ocean voyaging, calculating a ship…
Timeline
- 1531–1540Seville and Lisbon · Iberian PeninsulaSpanish and Portuguese ocean-going fleets in the 1530s commonly carried bronze or brass mariner's astrolabes; sailors observed the sun's altitude at noon or twilight to determine latitude, completing transoceanic positioning in conjunction with the compass and chart.
- 1531–1540Brittany in France and Dutch ports · Western EuropeIn the 1530s mariner's astrolabe technology spread to France, England, and the Low Countries; fishing grounds and transatlantic exploration fleets began systematically using latitude observations, promoting the standardization and textbook treatment of European navigation.
Sources
- Mariner's astrolabe https://www.britannica.com/technology/mariners-astrolabe
- The History of Navigation — W. E. May (1973)