Gualterus Arsenius (c. 1530 – c. 1580), also known as Gualterius Arsenius, Gautier Arsens, and Walter Arsenius, was a Flemish scientific instrument maker. He was the nephew of the mathematician and cosmographer

Gemma Frisius Gemma Frisius (; born Jemme Reinerszoon; December 9, 1508 – May 25, 1555) was a Dutch physician, mathematician, cartographer, philosopher, and instrument maker. He created important globes, improved the mathematical instruments of his day ...

(1508–1555), and he worked in

Louvain Leuven (, , ), also called Louvain (, , ), is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the sub-municipalities of ...

from 1555 to about 1570 (his presence there is still documented in 1579). The most prominent member of a family of scientific instrument makers, Arsenius produced exquisitely crafted and highly accurate devices such as

armillary sphere An armillary sphere (variations are known as spherical astrolabe, armilla, or armil) is a model of objects in the sky (on the celestial sphere), consisting of a spherical framework of rings, centered on Earth or the Sun, that represent lines o ...

astrolabe An astrolabe (; ; ) is an astronomy, astronomical list of astronomical instruments, instrument dating to ancient times. It serves as a star chart and Model#Physical model, physical model of the visible celestial sphere, half-dome of the sky. It ...

s, astronomical annuli (rings) and

sundial A sundial is a horology, horological device that tells the time of day (referred to as civil time in modern usage) when direct sunlight shines by the position of the Sun, apparent position of the Sun in the sky. In the narrowest sense of the ...

s, whose designs reveal the influence of his uncle and Gerard Mercator (1512–1594).

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External links

{{Cite web, url=http://catalogo.museogalileo.it/biografia/GualterusArsenius.html, title=Museo Galileo - object description, last=, first=, date=, website=, publisher=, access-date= Scientific instrument makers Scientists from the Habsburg Netherlands Businesspeople from Leuven Scientists from Leuven 1530s births 1580s deaths