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Astrolabe, owned by Robert Gordon of Straloch, Aberdeenshire

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made in France

Postcard of Astrolabe, owned by Robert Gordon of Straloch, Aberdeenshire.
000-190-000-946-C
© National Museums Scotland

Astrolabe, owned by Robert Gordon of Straloch, Aberdeenshire

This brass astrolabe dates from the early 15th century. It was made in France, probably by Jean Fusoris (c. 1365-1436), and later owned by Robert Gordon (1580-1661) of Straloch in Aberdeenshire.

The astrolabe is pictured here with its four latitude plates and the 'mater' which holds the plates with the rete (not shown here) within the blank hollowed-out central portion. The plates are shown for latitudes 42, 45, 48 and 52 degrees.

Two of the projection plates have been re-engraved for the latitude of Straloch and Edinburgh and the date 1597 added on the astrolabe's back. The instrument was probably re-conditioned in that year for Gordon at the time of his early studies in Paris.


Record details

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Online ID: 000-190-000-946-C
Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
Project: 0098: National Museums Scotland
Project description | View all records in project
Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1947.27
Date: c. 1460
Early 15th century
Material: Inscription: Robertius Gordonius [on rim]
Dimensions:
What: Astrolabe
Subject: 3. ASTRONOMY, Astrolabes (Departmental Classification)
Who: Gordon of Straloch (Owner)
Where:
Event:
Description: Gordon of Straloch's astrolabe, probably dating from 1460, with Robertius Gordonius on rim
References:
  • For Gordon's map-mapping contribution, see Royal Scottish Geographical Society, The Early Maps of Scotland to 1850. Edinburgh: 1973 pp 44-53, 138 
  • Macdonald, A. & Morrison-Low, A.D., A Heavenly Library: Treasures from the Royal Observatory's Crawford Collection. Edinburgh: Royal Observatory & NMS, 1994, p 25 
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