These complex astronomical machines were all the rage in Medieval Europe after they had been brought by the Spanish Muslims from the east. Chaucer wrote about them with enthusiasm. Early versions seem to have been separately invented in China and in Greece.
Astrolabes were rendered obsolete by sextants, telescopes, and timepieces but are still used for instructional purposes.
The armillary sphere was the predecessor of the astrolabe.
The Armillary Sphere
Brief history of the Astrolabe
Image is a Muslim armillary sphere, c. 1300