Fabula
Object
Object

Medieval Astrolabe

Brass disc with angular projections and marked degrees, its etched surfaces gleaming under flickering chamber light. The Doctor adjusts the alidades and rete with deliberate precision, his fingers tracing calculations for forty-three minutes past nine. Sarah reviews the readings, her confidence in his adaptations growing with each adjustment.
2 appearances

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments
S14E4 · The Masque of Mandragora Part 4
Doctor uncovers Mandragora lunar eclipse plot

The Doctor uses the medieval astrolabe with deliberate precision, adjusting its alidade and converting readings to the Copernican system. He records the corrected measurements with a quill and parchment, ensuring the calculations account for the instrument’s near one-degree error.

Before: Resting on Giuliano’s desk among star maps and astrological charts, slightly dusty from infrequent use
After: Held by the Doctor, its brass surfaces gleaming under candlelight as he finalizes the readings
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S14E4 · The Masque of Mandragora Part 4
Doctor reveals lunar eclipse plan to Giuliano

The medieval astrolabe serves as the Doctor’s primary calculation tool, though its alidade is nearly a whole degree off. He instructs Sarah to correct for error and convert to the Copernican system, making it central to deriving Mandragora’s trigger timing.

Before: In Sarah’s possession, borrowed and manipulated for adjustments
After: Adjusted and updated, though still imperfect, contributing to the final timing calculation
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