Nastulus

Nastulus
محمد بن عبد الله نسطولس
Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī's description of Nasṭūlus’s astrolabe
Bornfl. 10th century
Academic work
EraIslamic Golden Age
Main interestsAstronomy
InfluencedAl-ʻIjliyyah[1]

Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh Nasṭūlus (Arabic: محمد بن عبد الله نسطولس; known as Nasṭūlus, but also referred to as Basṭūlus) was a 10th century astronomer. He is known for making one of the oldest surviving astrolabes, dated 927/928,[2] as well as of another partially preserved astrolabe that bears his signature, "Made by Nasṭūlus in the year 315" of hijra (925).[2][3]

Very little is known about Nasṭūlus. His full name, based on a testimony given by a contemporary astronomer, Abu Sa'id al-Sijzi, indicates that he was a Muslim, but some modern historians have suggested that his foreign last name may indicate that he was Greek or Nestorian.[2]

  1. ^ Dodge 1970, p. 671.
  2. ^ a b c Rius 2007.
  3. ^ King 1999, p. 87.