Orrery planetary model

Orrery planetary model Orrery planetary model Orrery planetary model Orrery planetary model Orrery planetary model

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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 

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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 

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

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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

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

orrery with brass gearwork and paper scale showing eight planets out to Neptune with wooden case by Newton and Company, London, mid 19th century.

Dated to the middle of the nineteenth century this planetary model was made by the London instrument makers Newton and Company. 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 wooden base with paper calendar scales and eight planets out to Neptune 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. Models of this sort were commonly employed in schools or colleges to teach astronomical principles.

Details

Category:
Astronomy
Object Number:
1869-48
Materials:
complete, brass (copper, zinc alloy), paper (fibre product), wood (unidentified) and ivory
Measurements:
overall: 240 mm x 685 mm x 440 mm,
type:
demonstration models, orreries and planetaria (models)
credit:
Newton & Co.

Parts

Case and spare parts (including winding handle) for orrery by Newton and Company

Case and spare parts (including winding handle) for orrery by Newton and Company

Case and spare parts (including winding handle) for orrery by Newton and Company.

Materials:
pine (wood)
Object Number:
1869-48 Pt2
type:
components , storage boxes and instruments