The Technology of Early Exploration

These are some of the advancements that led to early exploration as a result of the

thinker of renaissance period.

The Compass

• The first compass came from the Han Dynasty of China and was probably not used for navigation but more for construction and Architecture

The Bearing Compass

• Was used for the purpose of navigation. It was created by placing the resource of the a mineral called lodestone (a magnetic stone) in the pointer of a compass which magnetically lines up with the magnetic field of the earth.

Astrolabe

• Was an instrument used for locating the position of the sun, moon and stars through triangulation, similar to the process used for surveying. The instrument was first used by Muslims.

Astrology

• Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects. Objects such as stars, planets, comets, nebulae (interstellar cloud ex. Milky Way), star clusters and galaxies and other phenomena that originate outside the Earth's atmosphere and their relationship with each other.

• Not to be confused with astrology the pseudoscience of the position of celestial bodies influencing Earth’s life.

UrsaMajor(Big Dipper)

Polaris(North Star)

Cassiopeia (opposite of Big Dipper)

Caravel

• A caravel is a small, highly maneuverable sailing ship developed in the 15th century by the Portuguese to explore along the West African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean. The lateen is the triagular sail founf near the back of the boat

Rudder

Helm

Tiller