Old instruments
Mural Quadrant
Direct answer
Mural Quadrant is a large graduated quarter circle fixed in a meridian plane for measuring celestial altitude.
Mural Quadrant is a wall-mounted altitude arc used in historical astronomy, timekeeping, or navigation.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Historical Almanacs & Instruments
- Related
- Meridian Circle, Transit Instrument, Zenith Sector, Equatorial Telescope
Mural Quadrant is a wall-mounted altitude arc used in historical astronomy, timekeeping, or navigation.
An engraved functional orientation; the page explains the real instrument, method, or publication.
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The story behind Mural Quadrant
Large mural quadrants were signature instruments of early modern observatories and star-position programs.
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Why Mural Quadrant matters
Mural Quadrant matters because its size allowed finer divisions and stable geometry before precise full-circle instruments became common.
Mural Quadrant in practice: an example
An astronomer could measure a star's meridian altitude against a finely divided arc.
Where readings of Mural Quadrant go wrong
Building movement, imperfect verticality, thermal change, and scale division error limit the apparent precision.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- Royal Museums Greenwich: Astronomical and Navigational Instruments - Museum reference collection for historical observing, calculating, timekeeping, and navigation instruments.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Historical Almanacs & Instruments
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
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More in Historical Almanacs & Instruments
- Planet Sight
- Sector Instrument
- Transit Table
- Artificial Horizon
- Canon of Eclipses
- Davis Quadrant
- Gunter's Quadrant
- Lunar Distance Method
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Common questions
What is a mural quadrant?
Mural Quadrant is a large graduated quarter circle fixed in a meridian plane for measuring celestial altitude.
What do people get wrong about a mural quadrant?
Building movement, imperfect verticality, thermal change, and scale division error limit the apparent precision.
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