Armillary sphere  is a model of objects in the sky (on the celestial sphere), consisting of a spherical

framework of rings, centered on Earth or the Sun, that represent lines of celestial longitude and
latitude and other astronomically important features, such as the ecliptic. As such, it differs from
a celestial globe, which is a smooth sphere whose principal purpose is to map the constellations. It
was invented separately in ancient Greece and ancient China, with later use in the Islamic
world and Medieval Europe.

Astrarium is the mechanical representation of the cyclic nature of astronomical objects in one

timepiece. It is an astronomical clock.

Astrolabe  is an elaborate inclinometer, historically used by astronomers and navigators to measure

the inclined position in the sky of a celestial body, day or night. The word astrolabe means "the one
that catches the heavenly bodies. It can thus be used to identify stars or planets, to determine local
latitude given local time (and vice versa), to survey, or to triangulate. It was used in classical
antiquity, the Islamic Golden Age, the European Middle Ages, and the Renaissance for all these
purposes.

Astronomical clock is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to

display astronomical information, such as the relative positions of
the sun, moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets.

Antikythera mechanism is an ancient Greek analogue computer and orrery used to

predict astronomical positions and eclipses for calendar and astrological purposes decades in
advance. It could also be used to track the four-year cycle of athletic games which was similar to
an Olympiad, the cycle of the ancient Olympic Games.

Canterbury Astrolabe Quadrant is the only one of its kind known to definitely have been made in
England. Astrolabes are calculation instruments that enable their users to tell the time and determine
their geographical latitude using the position of the sun and stars. An extremely rare instrument, the
Canterbury Astrolabe Quadrant probably belonged to a travelling scholar who may have lost it in
Canterbury while on pilgrimage to that city.

Celestial sphere is an abstract sphere with an arbitrarily large radius concentric to Earth. All objects

in the sky can be conceived as being projected upon the inner surface of the celestial sphere, which
may be centered on Earth or the observer. If centered on the observer, half of the sphere would
resemble a hemispherical screen over the observing location. The celestial sphere is a practical tool
for spherical astronomy, allowing astronomers to specify the apparent positions of objects in the sky
if their distances are unknown or irrelevant.

Cosmolabe was an ancient astronomical instrument resembling the astrolabe, formerly used for

measuring the angles between heavenly bodies. It is also called pantacosm. Jacques Besson also
uses this name, or universal instrument, for his invention described in Le cosmolabe (1567), which
could be used for astrometry, cartography, navigation, and surveying.

Equatorium (plural, equatoria) is an astronomical calculating instrument. It can be used for finding

the positions of the Moon, Sun, and planets without calculation, using a geometrical model to
represent the position of a given celestial body.

Nebra sky disk is a bronze disk of around 30 centimeters (12 in) diameter and a weight of 2.2
kilograms (4.9 lb), with a blue-green patina and inlaid with gold symbols. These are interpreted
generally as a sun or full moon, a lunar crescent, and stars (including a cluster interpreted as
the Pleiades). Two golden arcs along the sides, marking the angle between the solstices, were
added later. A final addition was another arc at the bottom surrounded with multiple strokes (of
uncertain meaning, variously interpreted as a Solar Barge with numerous oars, as the Milky Way, or
as a rainbow).

Nocturnal is an instrument used to determine the local time based on the relative positions of two or
more stars in the night sky. Sometimes called a horologium nocturnum (time instrument for night)
or nocturlabe (in French and occasionally used by English writers), it is related to
the astrolabe and sundial. Knowing the time is important in piloting for calculating tides and some
nocturnals incorporate tide chartsfor important ports.
Orrery is a mechanical model of the solar system that illustrates or predicts the relative positions
and motions of the planets and moons, usually according to the heliocentric model. It may also
represent the relative sizes of these bodies; but since accurate scaling is often not practical due to
the actual large ratio differences, a subdued approximation may be used instead. Though the
Greeks had working planetaria, the first orrery that was a planetarium of the modern era was
produced in 1704, and one was presented to Charles Boyle, 4th Earl of Orrery – when came the
name. They are typically driven by a clockwork mechanism with a globe representing the Sun at the
centre, and with a planet at the end of each of the arms.

Prague astronomical clock, or Prague orloj is a medieval astronomical clock located in Prague,

the capital of the Czech Republic. It is currently undergoing a reconstruction and should be back in
place by the end of October 2018.

Planisphere is a star chart analog computing instrument in the form of two adjustable disks that
rotate on a common pivot. It can be adjusted to display the visible stars for any time and date. It is
an instrument to assist in learning how to recognize stars and constellations. The astrolabe, an
instrument that has its origins in Hellenistic astronomy, is a predecessor of the modern planisphere.
The term planisphere contrasts with armillary sphere, where the celestial sphere is represented by a
three-dimensional framework of rings.

Sextant for astronomical observations was devices depicting a sixth of a circle, used primarily for
measuring the positions of stars. They are of significant historical importance, but have been
replaced over time by transit telescopes, astrometry techniques, and satellites such as Hipparcos.

Telescopes are optical instruments that make distant objects appear magnified by using an

arrangement of lenses or curved mirrors and lenses, or various devices used to observe distant
objects by their emission, absorption, or reflection of electromagnetic radiation. The first known
practical telescopes were refracting telescopes invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of
the 17th century, by using glass lenses. They found use in both terrestrial applications
and astronomy.

Torquetum or turquet is a medieval astronomical instrument designed to take and convert

measurements made in three sets of coordinates: Horizon, equatorial, and ecliptic. It is said to be a
combination of Ptolemy's astrolabon and the plane astrolabe. In a sense, the torquetum is an analog
computer.

Zenith telescope is a type of telescope that is designed to point straight up at or near the zenith.

They are used for precision measurement of star positions, to simplify telescope construction, or
both.

Tellurion is a clock, typically of French or Swiss origin, surmounted by a mechanism that

depicts how day, night and the seasons are caused by the movement of the Earth on its axis
and its orbit around the sun. The clock normally also displays the age of the moon, and the four-
year calendar.

Volvelle or wheel chart is a type of slide chart, a paper construction with rotating parts. It is
considered an early example of a paper analog computer. Volvelles have been produced to
accommodate organization and calculation in many diverse subjects.

Quadrant is an instrument that is used to measure angles up to 90°. Different versions of this
instrument could be used to calculate various readings, such as longitude, latitude, and time of
day. It was originally proposed by Ptolemy as a better kind of astrolabe.

Gyrocompass is a type of non-magnetic compass which is based on a fast-spinning disc and

the rotation of the Earth to find geographical direction automatically.

Backstaff is a navigational instrument that was used to measure the altitude of a celestial body,
in particular the sun or moon. When observing the sun, users kept the sun to their back and
observed the shadow cast by the upper vane on a horizon vane.

Four-cubit Dioptra of Archimedes it was an early astronomical instrument suitable for

measuring very small angles. It was used to calculate the visible angle and the distance of
celestial bodies from the Earth but also the distance between.
Tetrantas of Hipparhos it was a measuring instrument which was used (in astronomy and
navigation) for the calculation of astronomical sizes and (in topography and in construction) for
the measurement of terrestrial distances.

Planetary System of Ptolemy it was the geocentric astronomical model of Ptolemy which
depicted and forecasted the orbits of the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter
and Saturn revolved around the Earth, while the remainder stars were standing on an outer
space.

Planetary Simulator of Eudoxos it was a simulator of the ostensible motion of the planets. It
was devised by Eudoxos of Knidos who tried to simulate the irregular motion of the planets with
the combination of circular movements which were considered the only acceptable orbits for the
eternal motion. It consisted of two concentric spheres (or rings). The internal sphere rested at
inclination in the exterior sphere and bore the panet on its equator.

Stonehenge is used as celestial calendar, burial place, sacrificial altar and a defensive building
during the early times.

Sight-lines these were very common in the ancient world. These were located at some sacred
prominent spots, perhaps over the hilltop, through a cleft in the hills on the far horizon, along a
row of stones, or from an inner sanctuary. It determines solstices and equinoxes. Solstice is
easier to observe and it is accurately measured by sight-lines.

Sundial it tells time by means of the sun. To be more specific it can only be used when there is
sunlight or in the morning. It can’t be used in the evening. You can’t use it during a thunder
storm in the morning; you can’t also use it when the sun is covered by thick clouds or during a
cloudy day.

El Caracol Chichen Itza was settled sometime between 415 AD and 445 AD. Its strangely
shaped observatory is something of an oddity. While most astronomical instruments were
attuned to the movement of the stars of the worship of the Sun, El Caracol (“the snail”) was
focused on the movement of Venus.

Hyginus Star Atlas was one of the first depictions of the constellations. Although its authorship
is debated, it is sometimes attributed to Gauis Julius Hyginus, who wrote between 64 BC and 17
AD. Others claim that the work has similarities to another piece by Ptolemy, suggesting that a
different Hyginus wrote the text more than a century later.

Sundial it tells time by means of the sun. To be more specific it can only be used when there is
sunlight or in the morning. It can’t be used in the evening. You can’t use it during a thunder
storm in the morning; you can’t also use it when the sun is covered by thick clouds or during a
cloudy day.

Al-Khujandi’s Mural Sextant he was a mathematician and astronomer living in the area that’s
now Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. However, we do know that he was
responsible for building one of the largest astronomical instruments of the era the mural sextant
near Rayy. The mural was done on a 60-degree arc between two interior walls of a building.
Measuring about 43 meters (140 ft) in diameter, the arc was sliced into degrees. Each degree
was then divided into 360 parts, making the mural not only an incredibly precise solar calendar
but also the first device capable of accurate measurement on such a small scale.

Chankillo Astronomical site in Peru is so complex that we only discovered its true function in
2007 with the help of a computer program designed to align solar panels. Stretching 300 meters
(980 ft) along the hilltop, the site is made up of 13 towers arranged in a straight line.

Celestial Globe dates to a time when astronomers believed that the stars were on a globe of
their own that circled the Earth. As that imagined globe moved, the stars moved, too. The
celestial globes that were created to map that heavenly orb are absolutely stunning.
Ancient Sundials have been reduced to little more than kitschy garden accessories today. But
at one time, they were necessary for telling time and tracking the movement of the Sun across
the sky. One of the oldest sundials was found in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. Dated to
between 1550 BC and 1070 BC, this sundial is a piece of limestone with a semicircle drawn on
it. The semicircle is then divided into 12 sections. Strangely enough, this sundial was found with
workmen’s drawings, suggesting that it was used to track work hours or to represent the Sun
god’s movement through the night and the underworld.

Astrolabe of Ptolemy (G.P.S. of the ancient Greeks) it was an exceptional astronomical

instrument which depicted the celestial sphere and was used for the measurement of
geographic length (longitude) and width (latitude) of the observed stars from any part of the
Earth but also reversely as locator of place (GPS) and also for the measurement of the Sun –
Moon distance.