Quadrant (back)

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A quadrant is a quarter of a circumference of a circle. This brass example was used with a plumb line and bead for taking altitude observations. It was made in England in the early 17th century and is unsigned. The picture shows the back of the quadrant.

The back of the Gunter quadrant has a movable planispheric nocturnal in the shape of a disc, with an alidade which can point to the months indicated by a letter inside the disc, and to an hour and zodiac scale.

A development of the astrolabe and William Oughtred's horizontal instrument, this form of quadrant was described by Edward Gunter is his 1623 treatise, The Description and Use of the Sector, Cross-staff and other Instruments.

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• Online ID: 000-100-102-677-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1926.7
• Date: Early 17th century
  
• Material: Brass
  Quadrant
  
• Dimensions: 3.63" radius
  
• What: Quadrant
  
• Subject: 3. ASTRONOMY, Quadrants (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who:
• Where: England
  
• Event:
• Description: Brass quadrant, unsigned, England, early 17th century
  
• References:
  • Description of the quadrant given by Turner, A.J., The Time Museum: Volume 1 Time Measuring Instruments Part 1, Astrolabes, Astrolabe Related Instruments. Rockford, Illinois: 1985, pp 202-10 
• Translations:
• Related Records: