List of astronomical instruments
Devices for observing, measuring, or recording astronomical data
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An astronomical instrument is a device for observing, measuring, or recording astronomical data.[citation needed] They are used in the scientific field of astronomy, a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos, with the object of explaining their origin and evolution over time. Many are also used in navigation and surveying.
Astronomical instruments include:
- Alidade
- Armillary sphere – Model of objects in the sky consisting of a framework of rings
- Astrarium
- Astrolabe – Astronomical instrument
- Astronomical clock
- Antikythera mechanism – Ancient analogue astronomical computer
- Blink comparator
- Bolometer – Device for measuring incident electromagnetic radiation
- Canterbury Astrolabe Quadrant – Medieval astrolabe found in England
- Celatone
- Celestial sphere – Imaginary sphere of arbitrarily large radius, concentric with the observer
- Charge-coupled device – Device for the movement of electrical charge
- Computers – Automatic general-purpose device for performing arithmetic or logical operations
- CMOS sensor
- Coronagraph – Telescopic attachment designed to block out the direct light from a star
- Cosmolabe
- Dioptra
- Equatorial ring – Instrument to determine the moment of the equinoxes
- Equatorium
- Gnomon – Part of a sundial that casts a shadow
- Inclinometer – Instrument used to measure the inclination of a surface relative to local gravity
- Interferometer – Instrument which measures the interference of superimposed waves
- Kamal – Celestial navigation device that determines latitude
- Meridian circle
- Microchannel plate detector – Detection single parties and photons
- Mural instrument – Type of angle measuring device
- Nebra sky disk
- Nocturnal
- Octant – Measuring instrument used primarily in navigation; type of reflecting instrument
- Optical spectrometer, also known as Spectrograph – Instrument to measure the properties of visible light
- Orrery – Mechanical model of the Solar System
- Photographic plate – Target medium in photography
- Photometer – Instrument to measure light intensity
- Planisphere – Class of star chart
- Prague astronomical clock
- Quadrant – Navigation instrument
- Reticle
- Radio plate
- Retroreflector – Device to reflect radiation back to its source
- Scaphe – Sundial said to have been invented by Aristarchus
- Sextant – Measuring instrument in Astronomy
- Starshade
- Space telescope – Instrument in space to study astronomical objects
- Spectrometers
- Sundial – Device that tells the time of day by the apparent position of the Sun in the sky
- Transit instrument – Small telescope used for precise astrometry
- Telescope
- Torquetum
- Triquetrum
- Zenith telescope – Type of telescope that points straight up
See also
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