astrolabe
/ˈastrəleɪb/
noun
historical
An instrument used to make astronomical measurements, typically of the
altitudes of celestial bodies, and in navigation for calculating
latitude, before the development of the sextant.
Origin
Late Middle English from Old French astrelabe, from medieval Latin
astrolabium, from Greek astrolabon, neuter of astrolabos ‘star-taking’.
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Today, I will not go out of sight of land aboard my canoe. I have neither sextant nor astrolabe and am entirely without the skill to use either.
