While Hipparchus is considered the first to use a device similar to the astrolabe, earlier evidence suggests that the concept may have existed before his time. Some historians believe that the Babylonians may have had a rudimentary form of an astrolabe.
The astrolabe was further developed and perfected by Arab scholars during the Middle Ages, becoming a key tool for astronomical calculations, navigation, and timekeeping.
So, while Hipparchus is often considered the inventor of the astrolabe, it's more accurate to say that the invention was a collaborative effort across different civilizations and time periods.
