Which effect limited the long-term accuracy of large brass astrolabes designed for horizon astronomical measurements?

💡 Explanation

When astrolabes are suspended, prolonged use leads to slight deformation due to brass‘s properties under constant load, causing gravitational creep of the suspension components because the molecular structure slowly rearranges. Therefore gravitational creep of the suspension ring limits long-term precision, rather than thermal expansion, hygroscopic distortion (relevant for organic materials), or electrolytic corrosion which involve dissimilar metals and humidity.

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