McFarlane’s Calculating Planisphere
notes: label: Description
content: This is an example of the calculating planisphere introduced in the early 1830s by James McFarlane, a mathematics teacher in Glasgow. It consists of three metal plates that revolving around a central axis, and on which are printed various numerical tables. One advertisement boasted that this planisphere “facilitates and is a ready and efficient check on all other methods of calculation” and was “strongly recommended to Merchants, Engineers, Mechanics and School Masters.”
label: Description
content: Ref: “Calculating Planisphere,” <i>The Year-Book of Facts in Science and Art</i> (London, 1842): 18.
label: Description
content: James McFarlane, <i>Rules, Directions, and Examples, Illustrating the Use of McFarlane’s Calculating Cylinder</i> (Edinburgh, 1837); this is third ed; the first ed was dated 1833.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United Kingdom: Scotland, Glasgow City
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1990.0539.42
label: catalog number
content: 1990.0539.42
label: accession number
content: 1990.0539
objectType: label: Object Name
content: planisphere
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 1/2 in x 18 in; 3.81 cm x 45.72 cm