![]() Engraved on the back of some astrolabes are tables of astrological information, such as the signs, their "lords" and characteristics. ![]() Collections of tables were often included with treatises on the astrolabe explaining how to derive things like the length of someone's life from astronomical data obtained with the astrolabe. The treatise on the astrolabe attributed to Messahalla explains 47 uses of the astrolabe, of which about half are directly related to astrological calculations. The use of an astrolabe simplified greatly this process, enabling non-mathematicians to calculate positions and angles of the heavenly bodies.Īstrological works were widely available, and astrological calculations were among those considered most important in texts on the astrolabe. The ecliptic is divided into 12 equal sections, representing the signs of the zodiac, so the position of the sun on the ecliptic determines the zodiac sign it is in. The path of the sun as seen from Earth is called the ecliptic and the astrolabe calculates the position of the sun on this path. One of the fundamental calculations in astrology is the position of the sun relative to the signs of the zodiac. Very large image (708K).Casting a horoscope requires knowledge of the relative positions of the sun, moon, stars and planets in order to draw conclusions and make predictions. The rete of an Islamic Astrolabe in the Whipple Collection, showing the star pointers. ![]()
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