Abraham Zacuto

Abraham Zacuto
Portrait of Abraham Zacut. Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology, Eulogia Merle.
Born(1452-08-12)12 August 1452
Salamanca, Kingdom of Castile and León
Died1515 (aged 62–63)
Jerusalem or Damascus, Mamluk Sultanate

Abraham Zacuto (Hebrew: אַבְרָהָם בֵּן שְׁמוּאֵל זַכּוּת‎, romanized: Avraham ben Shmuel Zacut, Portuguese: Abraão ben Samuel Zacuto; 12 August 1452 – c. 1515) was a Sephardic Jewish astronomer, astrologer, mathematician, rabbi and historian. Born in Castile, he served as Royal Astronomer to King John II of Portugal before fleeing to Tunis.

His astrolabe of copper, astronomical tables, and maritime charts played an important role in the Spanish and Portuguese voyages of discovery, being used by both Vasco Da Gama and Christopher Columbus.

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