In astronomy and navigation, a circle on the celestial sphere at a constant altitude above the horizon; used in stargazing and position-finding.
From Arabic 'al-muqantar,' meaning 'the circle.' The word came into European astronomical vocabulary through Medieval Islamic science, which preserved and advanced Greek astronomy.
Medieval Islamic astronomers were so advanced that they named celestial measurement concepts that Europeans later borrowed directly—almucantars are still used in navigation and astronomy today!
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