#historysurvivalguide

[historysurvivalguide]

So, How to Build an Astrolabe: Part Two

Plate to represent the Tropics and the Equator

The construction continues into part two!

The middle plate--known as the Tympan--is perhaps the most complex piece of the entire astrolabe, so I am going to be breaking it into a few parts to make it more readable

The first part starts with just three concentric circles for the Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, and the Equator.

No math needed!

This is a step-by-step guide to the complete construction of an astrolabe that I think might exist. At least, in any accessible form.

My goal is for this to be as accessible as possible for any kind of reader, so if there are any question, free free to reach out

🚀 Enjoy! Stay safe and keep learning, fellow chrononauts 🚀

[historysurvivalguide]

So, How to Build an Astrolabe: Part Three

Plate to represent the Horizon, Almucantar, and Twilight Arcs

The plate currently shows three concentric circles for the Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, and the equator. This next part builds off the base plate and adds more arcs and circles

The middle plate--known as the Tympan--is perhaps the most complex piece of the entire astrolabe, so this is part three of constructing the plate and only part two of specifically constructing the tympan plate

The circles on the face of the plate represent “almucantar” and twilight arcs.

This is a step-by-step guide to the complete construction of an astrolabe that I think might exist. At least, in any accessible form.

My goal is for this to be as accessible as possible for any kind of reader, so if there are any question, free free to reach out

🚀 Enjoy! Stay safe and keep learning, fellow chrononauts 🚀

[historysurvivalguide]

So, How to Build an Astrolabe: Overview

Let’s gooooooooo! 🎉 🔭

Part One is live! Long time coming, but it is finally out. Biggest project I’ve undertaken for the History Survival Guide so far but learned a lot and I am excited to finally get a chance to share this

This is a step-by-step guide to the complete construction of an astrolabe that I think might exist. At least, in any accessible form

This work is a synthesis of dozens of papers/books, one or two out-of-print books, a book entirely in French that I had to translate each section as I read, a few emails to authors, and one long Twitter conversation with a museum curator

My goal is for this to be as accessible as possible for any kind of reader, so if there are any questions, feel free to reach out

🚀 Enjoy! Stay safe and keep learning, fellow chrononauts 🚀

[historysurvivalguide]

“I just need to clean up a few more diagrams” says the Sisyphus-ian fool

I ended up needing about ~30 diagrams for part three

I have been prioritizing diagrams since I think it makes the steps significantly clearer. Spherical trigonometry can be really math heavy, but it can also just be drawing lines and making circles

Part Three should be out soon. I have a rough draft of the writing done, so once that is cleaned up I can add some labels to the diagrams

[historysurvivalguide]

Upcoming Astrolabe Page (In Progress)

My collection of diagrams continues to grow

The ~70 images that I have list is a little deceptive. Each image is split into multiple sub-images to explain each step. My current diagram count is about 107

I have been busy and had to take time to rework some of my diagrams to be easier to read on a smaller screen. The write up draft about the base plate for the astrolabe is roughly done but I need to find time to edit it properly

[historysurvivalguide]

How to Build an Astrolabe (Part One): January 31st

Final draft of part one is about done and should be ready for release next Wednesday!

The 31st is still part of January so technically I am still on schedule (still counts)

Part of the delay was that after a first round of edits, I decided that for clarity it needed another two diagrams. So, I had to make those since I make all the diagrams by hand

It has been a long time coming and ended up being a larger project than I originally planned. But (!) as a result I have all the remaining diagrams and a rough draft for all the sections essentially done

After part one, I will probably post a new section once every two weeks

The first round will be published at historysurvivalguide.com but once all the pages are done, I’ll post the full DIY here as well

[historysurvivalguide]

Celtic Inspired Astrolabe

For upcoming guidebook page I am working on: “How to Build an Astrolabe”

[historysurvivalguide]

How to Build an Astrolabe (an Update)

The How to Build an Astrolabe instructional guidebook page is still coming along. Probably the accidentally biggest project I’ve done so far. With something like 40+ diagrams and a few thousand words so far

My goal is to have all of my readings from a few dozen books (in English, Old English, and French) and resources and emails in one place. Plenty of the resources I’ve accumulated are either out of print or extreme hard to find. One in particular, a museum collection book, contains the only description of a correct method for calculating the ecliptic that might (?) exist. It is such a common part to mess up that many historical collections of existing astrolabes have this step messed up

There are plenty of small ways that each astrolabe can vary but my goal is for a complete step by step instructional guide for every single astronomically significant piece that I haven’t seen since maybe Chaucer wrote up a somewhat confusing book in the 1300’s in Old English

I might end up making a part two for all the various parts that can end up on a lot of astrolabes but aren’t always shared. Like shadow boxes and trig functions and prayer times and equation of time circles

I enjoy adding Chrononauts into my diagrams for explaining science and history (here are some of the older ones from previous pages)

With the added work I’ve been putting in to learn art and anatomy, it has been easier to add figures to smaller diagrams

Here are some of the time traveling adventurers from upcoming page:

[historysurvivalguide]

2023 Year Wrap Up

How to Build an Astrolabe Update

Long and busy year and this work had to take a backseat while I was focusing on life. I was hit pretty hard by the fan fiction curse. For those unfamiliar with the fan fiction curse it is a dark curse that takes hold the moment you decide to make a fan fiction where your life takes a hard and sharp and unexpected left turn. A classic example: sorry for the delay, got hit by a bus. I suppose science history fan fiction counts

Most of the writing for the rough draft is done but I had to rework one of the pages after I found essentially the only book to discuss the common error

Rather than release the guide all at once—for my sanity—I am going to be releasing it in parts. I make all the diagrams by hand and this way I can finish labeling them as I go

My goal is to have the first part up in January

The writing needs to be cleaned up, but should be on track for release

How To Build an Astrolabe:

Overview of Astrolabe and Parts Breakdown

Latitude Plates

Star Chart

Front of the Astrolabe

Back of the Astrolabe

Astrolabe Accessories

Future sections will cover less common features and how to use an astrolabe

🚀 For now, stay safe and keep learning, fellow chrononauts 🚀

[historysurvivalguide]

This week, decide an ancient and uncommon European numeral system that uses overlapping glyphs

The numerals, developed in the 13th century, were likely developed in response to the introduction of the foreign Hindi-Arabic numerals by a rival religion but they never achieved the same level of popularity

Everything here and more is available at historysurvivalguide.com 🚀

[historysurvivalguide]

How to Build An Astrolabe! Coming soon!

The current rough draft sits at around 6,000+ words

With about 50+ diagrams. The final number of diagrams will depend on how many steps I will include to clarify a point

I am not sure how many pages that everything will end up becoming, but probably at least ten pages so there is room for diagrams

Stay tuned!

[historysurvivalguide]

Yes…

Starting this week, it finally happens! For the next few weeks learn how to recreate and understand astrolabes!

Learn how to build you own astrolabe step-by-step

This is the time of the astrolabe

[historysurvivalguide]

Stars shift and the poles move, but by finding the unmoving point in the sky for the pole, you can always find your latitude in a hurry ✨

Part Two!

Find this and more with the most up-to-date pages at the History Survival Guide

[historysurvivalguide]

Curious what this delicate animation in Moana meant? Our intrepid sailor was finding latitude with her hand!

Learn how to do the same with the upcoming guidebook page on determining latitude by hand

It will cover latitude, both past and future! Stay tuned!

All of the most up-to-date guidebook pages can be found here

[historysurvivalguide]

Constructing an electromagnet is as simple as a wire and a stable current, and as complex as lots of wire and a stronger current

🧲 Part Two 🧲

All of the most up-to-date pages are together on historysurvivalguide.com

[historysurvivalguide]

Construct a powerful electromagnet as simply as possible of any strength!

All of the most up-to-date pages are together on historysurvivalguide.com