Zuno Flow
Reconstruct the brass instrument that let Islamic navigators read time from starlight and find qibla without a compass
Download Zuno FlowUnlock Historical Navigation Skills
Complete Star Catalogue Unlocked
- 81 stars with full Arabic names
- Bayer designations and magnitudes
- Historical navigation roles revealed
25 Lessons + 4 Canonical Problems
- Progressive unlocking system
- Practice drills after each lesson
- Master altitude and qibla calculations
Three Handcrafted Workshop Styles
- Indigo Planisphere default theme
- Aged Parchment historical look
- Verdigris Brass authentic patina
All features included with base download. No subscriptions or in-app purchases required. Data stored locally on your device.
How the Planispheric Astrolabe Functions
Rete Rotation Mechanism
The openwork rete layer carries 80 star-tongues representing Arabic-named stars. Drag any star-tongue to rotate the entire rete across the altitude plate beneath. As you rotate, four readouts update in real time: altitude, unequal hour, azimuth, and qibla bearing. This mimics how 12th-century navigators aligned physical brass against the night sky.
Climate Plate System
Each of the 30 selectable cities corresponds to a specific latitude from the Islamic Golden Age. When you swap from Córdoba to Samarkand, the altitude curves on the plate reshape to match that latitude precisely. The sky configuration adjusts accordingly, demonstrating how the same instrument adapted to different geographical locations.
Dual-Face Calculations
Flip to the back face to solve inverse-latitude problems using the shadow square and qibla rete. The alidade pivots independently here, allowing you to work through trigonometric solutions that historical navigators used to determine prayer direction and calculate heights from shadow measurements.
Verified Specifications
Instrument Capabilities
Interactive Star Database
Every one of the 80 stars on the rete responds to your tap. A single touch reveals the Arabic name, Bayer designation, parent constellation, visual magnitude, right ascension coordinates, and the specific role this star played in classical Islamic navigation techniques.
Real-Time Measurement Readouts
Four simultaneous calculations resolve as you manipulate the rete and alidade: altitude above horizon, unequal hour of night, azimuth bearing from north, and qibla direction. Watch medieval astronomy come alive through immediate numerical feedback.
Latitude-Specific Climate Plates
Swap among 30 cities spanning from Córdoba in the west to Samarkand in the east. Each city loads its corresponding climate plate with altitude curves recalculated for that precise latitude. The sky literally reshapes to match historical geography.
Personal Almanac Archive
Pin solved configurations to your private almanac. Each saved entry can be replayed later to review your solution, annotated with custom notes, or paired with a reference photograph of the actual sky you observed that night.
Celestial Atlas Mapping
Explore 18 constellation mappings and 12 seasonal sky states plotted across the planisphere. The atlas shows how classical star patterns shift throughout the year and how navigators tracked seasonal changes.
Achievement Milestone System
Ten crests rendered in chalk-and-brass style mark the competencies that once defined a qualified navigator. Unlock achievements as you master altitude readings, qibla calculations, shadow square problems, and hour determinations.
Navigation Problem Solving
Four Canonical Problems
- Determine local time by measuring star altitude above the horizon
- Calculate azimuth bearing to locate cardinal directions without compass
- Find qibla direction for prayer orientation using star positions
- Solve inverse-latitude challenges with shadow square geometry
- Practice each drill after completing corresponding tutorial lesson
- Progressive unlocking ensures mastery before advancing
Educational Structure
- 25 illustrated lessons walk through historical techniques step by step
- Each lesson unlocks only after you practice the motion on the instrument
- Haptic feedback engages when you lock a recognized configuration
- Tonal cues confirm correct alignments during practice sessions
- Both feedback types can be silenced in Settings if preferred
- Catalogue provides reference data for all 81 stars and 30 cities
About the Developer
Zuno Flow represents a meticulous reconstruction of the planispheric astrolabe based on historical brass instruments from 12th-century Islamic workshops. The developer focused on authentic replication of the rete mechanism, climate plate system, and dual-face problem-solving capabilities that made this device essential for medieval navigators across the Islamic Golden Age.
Begin Your Navigation Training
iOS Education App | Version 1.2 | Local Data Storage | No Account Needed
Download Zuno FlowCompatible with iOS devices. All 30 climate plates and 80 stars included. Rated for ages 12+. Contains no advertisements.