Vanity Post - What is this thing?

[chaosagent]

I bought this item this evening in a gift shop.

I thought it was called an astrolabe.

But when I looked up astrolabe on Google it didn't look anything like those.

The globe rotates around the arrow shaft.

Any one have any ideas?

[HairOfTheDog]

I think you can call it whatever you like in your own home!

[chaosagent]

Well, I've always liked the name "Chuck" for some reason.

How does that sound.

[HairOfTheDog]

I think Chuck sounds very nice!

Now. Where are you going to put it?

[chaosagent]

Well, my wife thinks it's ugly.

I'm sure if I ask her, she'll tell me where to put it.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, you seem to be on kinda weak footing here. You bought a thing your wife hates, and you don't even know what the thing is... You better come up with a use for it quick.

What does it do?

[martin_fierro]

It's a very ornate, very porous Bingo ball shuffler. <|:)~

Or maybe these people can help you out:

[chaosagent]

According to my wife, I'm always on weak footing.

But if she can collect moose stuff, I can have my whatcamacallit.

As far as what it does, not much. The globe and the arrow shaft rotate in the stand. That's about it.

I had always thought these were some sort of primitive navigation device, like a sextant, and, as I said in my post, I thought it was called an astrolabe.

But after I did a Google search, this doesn't look like an astrolabe. Which is a navigation device.

An astrolabe is circular and has a movable arm on it like a clock face, or actually more like a circular slide rule. (If that doesn't date me, I don't know what does.)

I'm just curious, and thought that if anyone would know, it would be someone on FP.

[petuniasevan]

It is indeed an astrolabe.

It is necessary to understand the movements of celestial objects such as the sun and moon in order to make a calendar to determine the passage of time. The astrolabe is a tool for measuring the position of celestial objects and it was also used as a teaching device to explain the movement of celestial bodies. The earth is placed in the middle of the astrolabe, and around it are attached spheres which represent the equators and ellipses of the heavens, and the moon's orbit.

[petuniasevan]

Looks like your astrolabe is a simple one, used only to plot the apparent movement of the sun or moon.

[petuniasevan]

[Jeff Chandler]

It's an around-an-arrow shaft rotating globe thing.

[petuniasevan]

I don't get it. Post and run? Forgot to acknowledge those who tried to help? Which is it?

[chaosagent]

Acually it was more of a Post and Go to Bed kinda thing. And then not being able to get into FP for 24 hours.

I did some research and found that it is NOT a astrolabe.

It is an Amillary Sphere.

It functions as a sundial and a method of plotting the movements of the planets and stars.

So it is an astronomical instrument, not a navigational one.

Here is a web site that sells more expensive, ornate ones.

Amillary Spheres