The Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Maharaja (King) Jai Singh II at his new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734. The observatory consists of fourteen major geometric devices for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars in their orbits, ascertaining the declinations of planets, and determining the celestial altitudes and related ephemerides. Each is a fixed and 'focused' tool. The Samrat Jantar, the largest instrument, is 90 feet (27 m) high, its shadow carefully plotted to tell the time of day. Its face is angled at 27 degrees, the latitude of Jaipur. The Hindu chhatri (small domed cupola) on top is used as a platform for announcing eclipses and the arrival of monsoons. Built from local stone and marble, each instrument carries an astronomical scale, generally marked on the marble inner lining. 世界上最早的测时装置之一的古观象台。
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