Welcome to the A-Z of Scientific Instruments. Don't know your telescope from a pocoscope, or an astrolabe from an abacus? This part of the Scientific Instrument Society website is there to put you right. All entries have been written by SIS members and, where appropriate, they have included useful book references and weblinks as well. This is an ongoing project and more instruments will be added to the A-Z on a regular basis. Feel free to contact the society with suggestions for improvements or additions to the list, if you'd like to write an entry or to make suggestions for improvements or additions to the list.

Previously published resources which have proved of particular use in compiling this A-Z include the following (click items to view on Amazon.co.uk).

Havyatt, V., 1981
A Dictionary of Measuring Instruments
Macleay Museum
University of Sydney

Bud, R. and Warner, D. (eds), 1998
Instruments of Science: An Historical Encyclopedia
Garland, New York & London
ISBN 0 81531 561 9

Turner, G., 1998
Scientific Instruments 1500-1900 An Introduction
Philip Wilson / University of California Press, London
ISBN 0 85667 491 5

List of contributors to the SIS A-Z of Scientific Instruments

Ron Bristow
Marcus Cavalier
Richard Dunn
Neil Handley
Richard Keeler
Patrick Mill
Charles Miller
David Riches