Tycho's Instruments




Revolving wooden quadrant, 1.6 meter in radius. Estimated accuracy of 32.3 seconds of arc, based on eight reference stars.



Astronomical sextant, 1.6 meter in radius. Estimated accuracy of 33.2 seconds of arc.



armillary sphere, 1.6 meter in radius. Built in 1581. Tycho rapidly gave up on using large versions of classical armillary sphere, as he found their accuracy compromised by flexing and bending due to the great weight of the various components. This lead to the design of equatorial armillaries.

Bibliography:

Thoren, V.E. 1973, Journal for the History of Astronomy, 4, 25.

Wesley, W.G. 1978, Journal for the History of Astronomy, 9, 42.


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-Written and last revised 20 December 1997 by paulchar@ucar.edu.