Octant with a mahogany frame and index arm. The boxwood scale is graduated every 20 minutes from 0° to 90° and read by transversals to 2 minutes of arc. An inscription penciled on the back of the scale reads: "Capt. Rowland Thompson = Lewes = Delaware 1792." A descendant donated it to the Smithsonian in 1882.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.