armillary sphere
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armillary sphere
(ar -mă-lair-ee) A device, dating back to antiquity, composed of a set of graduated rings representing circles on the celestial sphere, such as the ecliptic, celestial equator, and colures. The whole globe often revolved about an axis – the polar axis – within horizon and meridian circles. Movable sighting adjustments enabled a star to be observed and its coordinates to be read off the relevant circles.Collins Dictionary of Astronomy © Market House Books Ltd, 2006
Armillary Sphere
(religion, spiritualism, and occult)An armillary (from Latin word armilla, meaning “bracelet”) sphere is a skeletal sphere consisting of rings that represent the more important celestial circles utilized by astrologers—the ecliptic, the meridian, the horizon, the celestial equator, etc.
The Astrology Book, Second Edition © 2003 Visible Ink Press®. All rights reserved.