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Ilm al-Falak · Astronomical Precision · Celestial Qibla

Islamic Astrolabe & Celestial Compass

A WebGL 3D simulator of the classical brass astrolabe (Al-Asturlāb). Calculate solar altitude curves (Al-Muqantarāt), prayer angles (Mawāqīt as-Ṣalāh), and real-time Great-Circle Qibla azimuth from device motion and geographic coordinates.

3D Celestial Astrolabe HTML5 DeviceOrientation Compass Real-Time Solar Altitude
Three.js 3D Astrolabe Simulation
Green Needle: Astronomical Qibla (176.2°)
Gold Disc: Sun at 48.9° Alt
Drag with mouse or touch to rotate 3D astrolabe

Celestial Compass

True-North Qibla Bearing

N (0°)E (90°)S (180°)W (270°)
176.2°
Qibla Azimuth
Target Sanctuary:

Kaaba, Makkah

21.4225° N, 39.8262° E

Solar Declination (δ):

-15.96°

Day 307 of Year

Location & Time Simulation

Active Coordinates:24.47° N, 39.61° E (Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah)
Latitude (φ):24.4672°
Longitude (λ):39.6111°
Simulated Time of Day:12:30 Local Solar Time
Historical Astrolabe Presets:

Mawāqīt as-Ṣalāh (Prayer Arc Formulae)

Calculated Solar Altitude Angles

Fajr (Astronomical Dawn):-18° Below Horizon
Shuruq (Astronomical Sunrise):-0.833° Horizon Refraction
Dhuhr (Solar Zenith / Zawwal):49.57° Peak Altitude
Asr (Shafi'i/Jumhur Shadow):28.37° Altitude
Asr (Hanafi 2x Shadow):19.32° Altitude
Isha (Astronomical Twilight):-18° Below Horizon

Astronomical Heritage

Anatomy of the Classical Islamic Astrolabe

1. Al-Umm / The Mater

The heavy brass baseplate with a raised outer rim (Al-Hujrah) calibrated in 360 degrees and 24 temporal hours. It holds the interchangeable plates (As-Safa'ih) tailored to specific latitudes.

2. Ash-Shabakah / The Rete

The pierced openwork brass cutout rotating around the central axis pin (Al-Qutb). It maps fixed celestial stars and the off-center zodiac ring (Mintaqat al-Buruj) showing the ecliptic path of the Sun.

3. Al-Muqantarāt / Altitude Arcs

Stereographic projections of celestial coordinates engraved onto the plate. Used by classical astronomers like Al-Biruni and Al-Khwarizmi to calculate prayer schedules and exact Qibla vectors anywhere in the world.