womenwhokickass:

Mariam “Al-Astrolabiya” Al-Ijliya: Why she kicks ass

• She lived in the tenth century in Aleppo, Syria and was a famous scientist who designed and constructed astrolabes.
• Astrolabes were global positioning instruments that determine the position of the sun and planets, so they were used in the fields of astronomy, astrology and horoscopes. They were also used to tell time and for navigation by finding location by latitude and longitude. They were also used to find the Qibla, prayer times, and determine starting days for Ramadan and Eid.
• Mariam Al-Ijliya came from a family of engineers and manufacturers, like her father and many engineers, she was a student of a certain Bitolus, who was a well known manufacturer of astrolabes in Baghdad and she in turn became his student. Her hand-crafted designs were so intricate and innovative that she was employed by the ruler of the city, Sayf Al Dawla, from 944 AD until 967 AD.