The Astrolabe

An astrolabe is a round tool made of metal. It has markings on it that show stars and the sun. People used it to measure where things were in the sky. Sailors and explorers used astrolabes to find their way at sea.

Ancient Science

Astrolabes were first made in ancient Greece over 2,000 years ago. Later, scientists in the Arab world made them even better. The astrolabe helped people study the stars and tell time. It was one of the most important tools of its day.

A shiny brass astrolabe used to study the stars.
A shiny brass astrolabe used to study the stars. (Jacopo Koushan (User:Jacopo188) Photograph by Masoud Safarniya (User:M.safarniya) / Wikimedia Commons)

Finding Your Way

Sailors used astrolabes to figure out where they were on the ocean. They would line up the tool with the sun or a star. Then they could tell how far north or south they were. This helped them sail to new places safely.

Fun Facts

  • Astrolabes were used for over 1,500 years.
  • Some astrolabes could do over 1,000 things.
  • They helped early Muslims find the direction of Mecca.

Did You Know?

The oldest astrolabe that still exists was made over 1,100 years ago and still works today.