3. Learning
Objectives
3
1
2
At the end of the lesson,
you should be able to:
Identify the astronomical
instruments used to observe
the sky.
Understand how these ancient
astronomical instruments are
being used.
5. Sundials
Sundials were used to determine the time of day for
thousands of years. By the 17th century, portable
dials became popular with people like soldiers and
merchants. Some could be adjusted to tell the correct
time at a variety of different latitudes in different
parts of the world.
6. Dials
6
Timekeeping with heavenly
bodies wasn't limited to
the Sun. This Italian
rosewood dial from the
17th century was made to
line up with the Big
Dipper's pointer stars,
enabling users to tell the
time even in the middle of
the night—provided they
had a clear sky.
7. Astrolabe
7
Astrolabes were initially
created in the 11th century BC
and improved throughout the ages
to be able to find and
anticipate the movement of
celestial bodies like the Moon,
planets, and stars. Examples
like this 18th-century bronze
astrolabe, which was made in
Persia, were used for a variety
of purposes, including
surveying, telling time, and
predicting and documenting the
motions of stars and planets.
8. 1
Star Maps
Utilizing telescopes allowed astronomers to obtain a
closer look than ever before at the sky and the
objects that populate it starting in the 17th
century. More accurate star mapping was spurred by
new and improved instruments.
Burritt's Atlas, a well-known collection of celestial
charts created in the 1800s by Connecticut educator
Elijah Burritt to "illustrate Burritt's geography of
the Heavens," is among the items the Museum has on
hand.
9. 9
A recent notion that
Stonehenge was constructed
by ancient astronomers in
the 1960s stated that its
enormous pillars were used
to forecast solar and lunar
eclipses as well as to mark
the summer and winter
solstices.
The quadrant is a very
simple instrument that
enables the user to find
their latitude by
calculating the height of a
celestial body. The angle of
elevation between the
horizon and celestial
objects like the sun,
planets, moon, or stars is
referred to as height when
employed in celestial
navigation or astronomy.
Stonehenge Quadrant
11. References
11
• Shara, M. (Cur.). (n.d.). Episode 05: How to time travel to a Star. AMNH.
Retrieved November 2, 2022, from https://www.amnh.org/shelf-life/time-
travel-to-a-star
• Zantua, J. A. (2022, August 20). Astronomical instruments.pdf. Share and
Discover Knowledge on SlideShare. Retrieved November 2, 2022, from
https://www.slideshare.net/JulieAmorZantua/astronomical-
instrumentspdf?fbclid=IwAR0bLVK14wwUttPHOVWE39HNqJB7G1ShCW_pTq81rWnrNSvY655Y
58QKP1I
• Levin, D. (2010, September 30). Astronomy at stonehenge? PBS. Retrieved
November 2, 2022, from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/astronomy-
stonehenge-au.html#:~:text=for%20ritual%20sacrifice%3F-
,In%20the%201960s%2C%20a%20new%20theory%20surfaced%20that%20claimed%20Stoneh
enge,of%20the%20moon%20and%20sun.
