Orrery planetary model designed by William Pearson, 1813-1822

Orrery planetary model designed by William Pearson, 1813-1822 Orrery planetary model designed by William Pearson, 1813-1822 Orrery planetary model designed by William Pearson, 1813-1822 Orrery planetary model designed by William Pearson, 1813-1822

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Mean Motion Orrery with drum case on claw foot stand showing seven planets out to Uranus by Robert Fidler, London. Designed by Rev. William Pearson in 1813 and described in Rees's Encyclopedia.

Dated 1813--22, this planetary model was designed by the astronomer, William Pearson and made in London by John Fidler. Called an orrery or planetarium, it is a demonstration model to show the motions of the Earth, Moon and planets around the Sun. This example has a brass drum base with pedestal stand and seven planets out to Uranus on long rod-arms. Such devices became popular during seventeenth century especially after Sir Isaac Newton published his universal theory of gravity. To reproduce the motions of the solar system this model employs a hand crank to drive gear wheels. This elaborate orrery is the only surviving example of several planetary models devised by William Pearson.

Details

Category:
Astronomy
Object Number:
1950-55
Materials:
brass, steel, paper, ivory and complete
Measurements:
overall: 600 mm 900 mm, 4 kg
type:
demonstration models, orreries, planetaria (models) and terrestrial globe
credit:
Mr H.D. Black

Parts

Mahogany case for Rev. William Pearson's Mean Motion Orrery by Robert Fidler

Mahogany case for Rev. William Pearson's Mean Motion Orrery by Robert Fidler

Mahogany case for Rev. William Pearson's Mean Motion Orrery by Robert Fidler, London, early 19th century.

Measurements:
overall: 750 x 410 x 390 mm
Materials:
mahogany and fittings, brass
Object Number:
1950-55 Pt1
type:
components , storage boxes and instruments