celestial globe

celestial globe
n.
a globe on which the stars, constellations, etc. are depicted in their proper relative positions in the sky

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      representation of stars and constellations as they are located on the apparent sphere of the sky. Celestial globes are used for some astronomical or astrological calculations or as ornaments.

      Some globes were made in ancient Greece; Thales of Miletus (fl. 6th century BC) is generally credited with having constructed the first. Probably the oldest in existence is the Farnese Globe, estimated as from the 3rd century BC, now in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale at Naples. It shows constellation figures but not individual stars and would have been of little practical astronomical use; it is thought to be a Roman copy of a Greek globe. Some Arabic globes made as early as the 11th century are extant. Among the seafaring peoples of the Pacific islands, globes were used to teach celestial navigation.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • celestial globe — n. a globe on which the stars, constellations, etc. are depicted in their proper relative positions in the sky …   English World dictionary

  • celestial globe — noun Date: 1668 a globe depicting the celestial bodies …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • celestial globe — noun a globe that is a spherical model of the heavens • Hypernyms: ↑globe • Hyponyms: ↑armillary sphere, ↑armilla …   Useful english dictionary

  • celestial globe — /səˌlɛstiəl ˈgloʊb/ (say suh.lesteeuhl glohb) noun Astronomy a model of the celestial sphere, on which the relative positions of the stars may be indicated without distortion …  

  • celestial globe. — See under globe (def. 3). [1755 65] * * * …   Universalium

  • celestial globe. — See under globe (def. 3). [1755 65] …   Useful english dictionary

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  • Globe animalcule — Globe Globe (gl[=o]b), n. [L. globus, perh. akin to L. glomus a ball of yarn, and E. clump, golf: cf. F. globe.] 1. A round or spherical body, solid or hollow; a body whose surface is in every part equidistant from the center; a ball; a sphere.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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