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Mariner's Astrolabe
The mariner's astrolabe is an astrolabe adapted for determining latitude at sea by observing the altitude of the sun or stars;…
Timeline
- 1401–1410Lisbon and Seville · PortugalIn the early 15th century, Portuguese and Castilian sailors converted the land astrolabe into a heavier, simplified maritime version, using the sun's noon altitude to calculate latitude on North Atlantic and Mediterranean coastal routes, providing navigational basis for subsequent expansion along the west coast of Africa.
Sources
- The History of the Astrolabe — John North (2005)