Astrolabe Generator

These pages will generates astrolabes for any location as a series of PDF files, which can be assembled in fully functional, high precision astrolabes. These can be used to prepare observations, to perform a series of astronomical calculation -such as time of sunset, sunrise, time of twilight, rise, transit, set of any star, calculation of the elevation and azimuth of any star.

One can generate traditional astrolabe, in stereographic projection as seen from outside the celestial sphere. This is useful to understand how traditional astrolabe work, or to study a real ancient astrolabe and rebuild description --eg identifying the stars on its rete, or identifying cryptic inscriptions. One can also generate "modern" astrolabes, using a much more compact polar projection and viewing the celestial sphere from the inside.

The instructions to assemble and to use the astrolabe are here.

In case you have problems, you can contact us, sending a message with the Long/Lat or city you want and your address: we will print the template and send them to you.

Observatory location

Select your observatory:

Either enter your Longitude and Latitude
Longitude=deg. West; Latitude=deg.
or select one from the list below

Projection

Select the projection of the astrolabe.

Stereographic: the traditional astrolabe projection, which preserves the angles (and therefore the shape of the constellations) at the cost of restricting the represented part of the sky down to the opposite tropic. Select this one for emulating historical astrolabes.
Polar: a more compact projection. At the cost of distortions of the constellation shapes, it shows a broader part of the sky. Select this one for observation planning

View

Select the point of view:

Outside the celestial sphere. This view was used by traditional astrolables.
Inside the celestial sphere. This shows the sky as seen from the Earth.

Do it

Warning it takes some time (up to a couple of minutes)! don't be impatient!