Description and use of the armillary sphere
1. The equinoctial A, which is divided into 360 degrees (beginning at its intersection with the ecliptic in Aries) for showing the sun's right ascension in degrees; and also into 24 hours, for showing its right ascension in time.
2. The ecliptic B, which is divided into 12 signs, and each sign into 30 degrees, and also into the months and days of the year; in such a manner, that the degree or point of the ecliptic in which the sun is, on any given day, stands over that day in the circle of months.
3. The tropic of Cancer C, touching the ecliptic at the beginning of Cancer in e, and the tropic of Capricorn D, touching the ecliptic at the beginning of Capricorn in f; each 23½ degrees from the equinoctial circle.
4. The Arctic Circle E, and the Antarctic Circle F, each 23½ degrees from its respective pole at N and S.
5. The equinoctial colure
G, passing through the north and south poles of the heaven at
N and
S, and through the equinoctial points Aries and Libra, in the ecliptic.
6. The solstitial colure H, passing through the poles of the heaven, and through the solstitial points Cancer and Capricorn, in the ecliptic. Each quarter of the former of these colures is divided into 90 degrees, from the equinoctial to the poles of the world, for showing the declination of the sun, moon, and stars; and each quarter of the latter, from the ecliptic as e and f, to its poles b and d, for showing the latitude of the stars.
Throughout Chinese history, astronomers have created celestial globes (Chinese: 浑象) to assist the observation of the stars. The Chinese also used the armillary sphere in aiding calendrical computations and calculations. Chinese ideas of astronomy and astronomical instruments became known in Korea as well, where further advancements were also made.
According to Needham, the earliest development of the armillary sphere in China goes back to the astronomers Shi Shen and Gan De in the 4th century BCE, as they were equipped with a primitive single-ring armillary instrument.[6] This would have allowed them to measure the north polar distance (declination) a measurement that gave the position in a xiu (right ascension).[6] Needham's 4th century dating, however, is rejected by British sinologist Christopher Cullen who traces the beginnings of these devices to the 1st century BCE.[7]