Islamic globe
Islamic globe. Astronomical details on the sphere include stars and constellations. The zodiacal figures and Orion are engraved with dotted lines. A total of 67 stars are named, and the 48 Ptolemaic constellations are depicted, of which 43 are labelled. Corona Borealis, Aries, Scorpius, Orion and Lepus are not labelled. The ecliptic longitudes of a number of stars have been determined. By comparing these values to those in the Ptolemaic catalogue for AD 137, and using the Arabic rate for precession, the epoch of the stars has been determined as 1549, with an uncertainty of 34 years. For full details about the cartography and construction of this globe please refer to the related publication.
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Object Details
ID: | GLB0007 |
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Collection: | Astronomical and navigational instruments; Charts and maps |
Type: | Islamic globe |
Display location: | Not on display |
Creator: | Unknown |
Date made: | circa 1549 |
Credit: | National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Caird Collection |
Measurements: | Overall: 280 x 140 mm; Diameter of sphere: 127 mm |