Pendulum Astrolabe
name: label: maker
content: White, David
notes: label: Description
content: A pendulum astrolabe (aka equiangulator) is a fixed angle instrument used to determine when a celestial body attains a certain altitude. It was invented by John Willis (1901-1979), an employee of the U.S. Naval Observatory, and produced in early 1940s, presumably for use during World War II. The inscription on this example reads “Pendulum Astrolabe / Serial No. 11 / David White Company / Milwaukee, Wisconsin / No. 29402.”
label: Description
content: Ref: John E. Willis, “Development of Constant Altitude Instruments for Astronomical Observations,” EOS (Feb. 1946).
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
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: 2005.0172.08
label: accession number
content: 2005.0172
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0172.08
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Pendulum Astrolabe
label: Object Name
content: pendulum astrolabe
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 18 in x 12 1/2 in x 10 in; 45.72 cm x 31.75 cm x 25.4 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: p7131: 30 in x 48 in x 48 in; 76.2 cm x 121.92 cm x 121.92 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 18 7/8 in x 12 1/16 in x 10 in; 47.9425 cm x 30.63875 cm x 25.4 cm