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The Astrolabe

An ancient instrument for solving problems of location and distance, as well as time

Astrolábon órganon is the word used in Ptolemaeus Syntaxis 5.1 to describe a form of armillary sphere consisting of both fixed and rotating rings for determining the ecliptic co-ordinates of stars. Also called astrolabe were two-dimensional representations of the celestial sphere: over fixed disks with a representation of the horizon of the earth (in each case for a specific geographic latitude) and its parallels up to the zenith lies a rotating representation of the heavens (called ‘spider’ or ‘net’) with zodiac and indicators for some of the brightest stars. On the back is an indicator (‘alidade’) with visor plates for calculating the height of the stars. The astrolabe allows its user to determine the hours of day and night, the positions of stars, and the height and depth of objects on earth (mountains, buildings, wells). The oldest extant descriptions of the flat, planispheric astrolabe come from Iohannes Philoponus, 6th century AD, and (in Syrian) from Severus Sebokht, c. 660 AD. Indirect references may date back as early as Theon (4th cent.). Between the 8th and the 9th centuries the Arabs appropriated the knowledge of the astrolabe. At the end of the 10th century and again in the 12th century, they passed it on to Western Europe, where astrolabes were constructed up until the 17th cent. Today, one Byzantine astrolabe (from 1062) is extant, as are some 750 Arabic-Islamic astrolabes and approximately the same number of European astrolabes.

This information is abstracted from Brill's New Pauly, the English edition of the authoritative Der Neue Pauly, Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World. The encyclopaedic coverage and high academic standard of the work, the interdisciplinary and contemporary approach and clear and accessible presentation have made the New Pauly the unrivalled modern reference work for the ancient world. For more information see www.brillsnewpauly.com or visit our website catalog: www.brill.nl/bnp
Brill’s New Pauly and the complete original Der Neue Pauly, the recognized standard reference works for students and scholars of the ancient world are also available online. This dual-language edition offers basic and advanced search facilities and is fully browsable. New English translations are added as they become available. See www.paulyonline.brill.nl for more information and a demo version.

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VSP

VSP has been an imprint of Brill since 1999. Originally founded in 1983 under the name VNU Science Press, VSP became an independent publisher of STM titles in 1987. Under the VSP imprint, Brill now publishes a set amount of books per year and eleven journals; in Materials Science, and interdisciplinary fields like Vision, Robotics and Electromagnetics.

Our publications are available in both print and electronic formats, and can be ordered through the Science and Biology section on the Brill website or from library suppliers, booksellers and online retailers.

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Biology Bookseries can be found under the URL www.brill.nl/Bookseries/BIO and our Journals in Biology can be found under the URL www.brill.nl/Biology.

Journal titles under the VSP imprint include:

Journal of Electromagnetic Wave Applications

This journal covers all aspects of electromagnetic wave theory and its various applications. Following the sad death of founding Editor in Chief Jin A. Kong on 12th March 2008, Prof. Weng Cho Chew has been appointed as new Editor in Chief.

Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition

The Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition publishes fundamental research on the properties of polymeric biomaterials and the mechanisms of interaction between such biomaterials and living organisms, with special emphasis on the molecular and cellular levels.

Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology

The Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology provides a forum for the basic aspects theories and mechanisms of adhesion and deals with the applications of adhesion principles in all areas of technology. Online submission is now available.New Co-editors appointed: José Miguel Martín-Martínez (Spain) and Hyun-Joong Kim (Korea)

Book titles under the VSP imprint include:

Contact Angle, Wettability and Adhesion

Wettability is of pivotal importance in many arenas, ranging from mundane to micro and nanofluidics to lithography and biomedical applications. In the last few years there has been burgeoning interest in replicating the so-called "Lotus Leaf Effect" to create super hydrophobic surfaces.

Polymers for Packaging and Containers in Food Industry

Scientific principles of design and fabrication of packaging materials for food purposes are described in this book; as well as methods for structural modification and other techniques. The main practical properties and applications of polymer materials are described.

Linear Polyurethanes: Synthesis Methods, Chemical Structures, Properties and Applications
Piotr Król

This volume describes in detail the mechanisms of the diisocyanates and polyols polyaddition process as well as its kinetic and process aspects important for obtaining linear polyurethanes.

VSP’s partnerships with scientific societies:

VSP's editors and authors come from renowned universities and research institutes around the world, as do the academics who use VSP's publications for their research and study. We co-publish with a number of distinguished and learned societies, such as The Robotics Society of Japan and the Japan Society for Composite Materials, while we offer reduced subscription rates of our journal to members of national and international scientific societies in biomaterials, adhesion science and vision science.

Advanced Robotics

Advanced Robotics is the international journal of the Robotics Society of Japan and has a history of more than twenty years. It is an interdisciplinary journal which integrates publication of all aspects of research on robotics science and technology.

Advanced Composite Materials

Advanced Composite Materials is a quarterly publication of the Japan Society for Composite Materials and the Korean Society for Composite Materials that provides an international forum for researchers, manufacturers and designers who are working in the field of composite materials and their structures.

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