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Surveying Instruments: Astrolabe

The document discusses various surveying instruments throughout history including the astrolabe, telescope, transit, semi-circumferentor, plane table, dioptra, Roman groma, libella, vernier caliper, diopter, compass, Gunter's chain, chorobates, and merchet. Each instrument is used to measure distances, angles, or determine locations for surveying land and astronomical observations. The document provides figures and brief descriptions of each instrument.

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366 views5 pages

Surveying Instruments: Astrolabe

The document discusses various surveying instruments throughout history including the astrolabe, telescope, transit, semi-circumferentor, plane table, dioptra, Roman groma, libella, vernier caliper, diopter, compass, Gunter's chain, chorobates, and merchet. Each instrument is used to measure distances, angles, or determine locations for surveying land and astronomical observations. The document provides figures and brief descriptions of each instrument.

Uploaded by

Tinay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS

ASTROLABE

Also known as astrolabos in Ancient Greek, is an


intricate inclinometer and can be called an analog calculator
able to carry out different kinds of astronomical problems. It
is also useful in determining latitude on land or in calm seas
(Northup et.al, 2015).

Figure1. An astrolabe from


the Mamluk Sultanate dated 1282

TELESCOPE

A telescope is an optical instrument that uses lenses, curved
mirrors, or a combination of both to observe distant objects, or various devices used to observe distant obj
ects through their electromagnetic radiation emission, absorption, or reflection.

Figure2. A 50 cm aperture refracting


telescope at Nice Observatory

TRANSIT

The invention of the transit is attributed to Young and 
Draper who sometime in 1830 worked independently of each
 other. Both men were able to bring the basic parts of what has 
long been known as the universal surveying instrument 
together in one instrument.

Figure3. Northwest Instrument


Transit Level NSL500B
SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS

SEMI-CIRCUMFERENTOR

It is an early surveying instrument used to


measure and lay-off angles, and by using peep
sights to create sight lines.

Figure 4. A Brass surveyor’s semi


circumferentor signed by Captain John
Potter in Brookfield, Massachusetts dated
in 1792.

PLANE TABLE

It is a tool used in surveying and related disciplines


to provide a solid, level surface where sketches, charts, and
maps can be generated on the ground.

Figure 5. Plane Table set at Rs 4500/unit.

DIOPTRA

The Dioptra was a sighting tools, also called


as dioptre in Greek, a classical astronomical and
surveying instrument dating from 3rd century
BC.

Figure 6. The dioptra of Heron (a


theodolite and a chrobate from the past).
SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS

ROMAN GROMA

It is a roman surveying instrument that composed of


a vertical staff with horizontal cross-pieces mounted on the
right angles on a bracket, which used to survey straight lines
and right angles.

Figure 7. Ancient Roman Groma retrieved


from www. C4dzone.com

LIBELLA

It is also one of roman leveling tools which


consist of a frame in the shape of A, with the
addition of the horizontal bar on top. From the apex
a plumb line was suspended that coincided with a
mark on the lower crossbar when the instrument
was level. Other marks could have been added to
indicate other slopes, but there is no evidence that
this was done (Hauck, 1988:43).
Figure 8. Byzantium Novum
Militarium:Libella, leveling tool

VERNIER CALIPER

The vernier is a short auxiliary scale


placed alongside the graduated scale of an
instrument, by means of which fractional
parts of the smallest or least division of the
main scale can be determined precisely
without having to interpolate. 
Figure 9. A vernier calipier and scale
SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS

DIOPTER

In his mathematical syntax, Ptolemy credited


Hipparchus with the invention of a instrument called
diopter , for measuring the apparent diameters of the
sun and moon.

Figure 10. Hipparchus diopter retrieved


from MuseoGalileo

COMPASS

A compass is a navigational and orientation


instrument that shows direction relative to the
cardinal geographic directions or points.

Figure 11. Compass

GUNTERS CHAIN

It is a distance measuring device that was


designed and introduced by Edmund Gunter. It
enabled plots of land to be accurately surveyed and
plotted, for legal and commercial purposes.

Figure 12. Gunters chain


photographed at Campus Martius
Museum
SURVEYING INSTRUMENTS

CHOROBATES

It was described by vitrivius in his


book VII of de Architectura, which used
to measure horizontal planes and was
especially important in the construction
of aqueducts.

Figure 13. The Chorobates of


Vitriuvus

MERCHET

The merchet was a device for measuring time and


meridian. It was first used by the Chaldeans in about
4,000 B.C. It consisted of a slotted palm leaf through
which to sight and a bracket from which a plumb bob
was suspended. -By sighting through the 'slot and past
the plumb bob string, a straight line could be projected.

Figure 14. Merchet

Submitted by:

OSALLA, CHRISTINE ANNE D.

BSCE-2B

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