More astronomy history<\/strong><\/h3>- Forgotten constellations<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>
- Famous astronomers<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>
- Jantar Mantar stone observatories<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li>
- Famous historic telescopes<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/li><\/ul><\/div>
Credit: SSPL\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>A brief history of the orrery<\/strong><\/h2>![\"A](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/Antikythera-Mechanism.jpg\")
A piece of the Antikythera Mechanism, a 2nd-century BC device known as the world’s oldest computer, is an orrery that tracked the cycles of the Solar System. Photo by Fine Art Images\/Heritage Images\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>The orrery has been around for a surprisingly long time.<\/p>
The Antikythera Mechanism, for instance \u2013 which has been called ‘the world\u2019s first analogue computer’ \u2013 is a hand-turned model depicting the Sun, the Moon and the five then-known planets that dates back to the 2nd<\/sup> Century BC, and which was retrieved from an ancient shipwreck in 1901.<\/p>The first known orrery to operate by clockwork was built by Italian physician, astronomer and engineer Giovanni Dondi in 1348.<\/p>
His Astrarium was an ‘astronomical clock’ that showed the positions of the various planets \u2013 albeit wrongly, of course, because in the 14th<\/sup> Century the Sun was still thought to orbit Earth (geocentrism vs heliocentrism<\/a>).<\/p>![\"A](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/heliocentric-orrery.jpg\")
A heliocentric orrery from 1704. Photo by: Universal History Archive\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>It wasn\u2019t until the Enlightenment, though, that orreries really became popular.<\/p>
The first modern-style orrery was built somewhere around 1710 (reports vary) by clockmaker, inventor and\u00a0geophysicist George Graham, who was a fellow of the Royal Society.<\/p>
A copy of Graham\u2019s machine was then built by clockmaker John Rowley, at the behest of Charles Boyle, the 4th<\/sup> Earl of Orrery. So now you know where it got its name from!<\/p>Famous orreries<\/strong><\/h2>![\"The](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/Eise-Eisinga-Planetarium.jpg\")
The Eise Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker, Netherlands is the world’s oldest functioning planetarium. Credit: Frans Lemmens \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>One of the most famous orreries is the Royal Eisa Eisinga Planetarium in the Dutch town of Franeker.<\/p>
Built in his home by wool trader and amateur astronomer in the late 1770s, this mechanical orrery so delighted William I, Prince of Orange, the first king of the Netherlands, that he bought Eisinga\u2019s house and made it a Royal Planetarium.<\/p>
It\u2019s now a museum \u2013 and yes, it is still working, making it the oldest functioning orrery anywhere in the world.<\/p>
Today, various small \u201cdesktop\u201d orreries are available, priced anywhere from \u00a3100 to \u00a31,000. But there\u2019s nothing quite like seeing a large, vintage orrery in action.<\/p>
Some famous places where you can see one include:<\/p>
- The Grand Orrery, Dumfries House, Ayrshire<\/a><\/li>
- Grand Orrery, Whipple Museum, Cambridge<\/a><\/li>
- Salford Museum and Art Gallery<\/a><\/li>
- Grand Orrery, Bayerisches National Museum<\/a><\/li>
- Strasbourg Astronomical Clock<\/a><\/li>
- Rittenhouse Orrery<\/a>, University of Pennsylvania<\/a><\/li>
- Pope’s Grand Orrery, Harvard University<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Biggest in the world<\/strong><\/h2>![\"The](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/10\/jodrell-bank-orrery.jpg\")
The Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre orrery is thought to be the largest in the world. Credit: Anthony Holloway, University of Manchester<\/figcaption><\/figure>The biggest in the world is thought to be the orrery at the famous Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre<\/a> in Cheshire, UK.<\/p>It comprises a system of 52 brass gears that keep its planets orbiting its Sun at the correct rate.<\/p>
If you happen to be in the area, be sure to go and visit it at Jodrell Bank. The centre is open to the public and visitors get the opportunity to operate it themselves.<\/p>
A brief history of the orrery<\/strong><\/h2>A piece of the Antikythera Mechanism, a 2nd-century BC device known as the world’s oldest computer, is an orrery that tracked the cycles of the Solar System. Photo by Fine Art Images\/Heritage Images\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>The orrery has been around for a surprisingly long time.<\/p>
The Antikythera Mechanism, for instance \u2013 which has been called ‘the world\u2019s first analogue computer’ \u2013 is a hand-turned model depicting the Sun, the Moon and the five then-known planets that dates back to the 2nd<\/sup> Century BC, and which was retrieved from an ancient shipwreck in 1901.<\/p>The first known orrery to operate by clockwork was built by Italian physician, astronomer and engineer Giovanni Dondi in 1348.<\/p>
His Astrarium was an ‘astronomical clock’ that showed the positions of the various planets \u2013 albeit wrongly, of course, because in the 14th<\/sup> Century the Sun was still thought to orbit Earth (geocentrism vs heliocentrism<\/a>).<\/p>A heliocentric orrery from 1704. Photo by: Universal History Archive\/Universal Images Group via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>It wasn\u2019t until the Enlightenment, though, that orreries really became popular.<\/p>
The first modern-style orrery was built somewhere around 1710 (reports vary) by clockmaker, inventor and\u00a0geophysicist George Graham, who was a fellow of the Royal Society.<\/p>
A copy of Graham\u2019s machine was then built by clockmaker John Rowley, at the behest of Charles Boyle, the 4th<\/sup> Earl of Orrery. So now you know where it got its name from!<\/p>Famous orreries<\/strong><\/h2>The Eise Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker, Netherlands is the world’s oldest functioning planetarium. Credit: Frans Lemmens \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>One of the most famous orreries is the Royal Eisa Eisinga Planetarium in the Dutch town of Franeker.<\/p>
Built in his home by wool trader and amateur astronomer in the late 1770s, this mechanical orrery so delighted William I, Prince of Orange, the first king of the Netherlands, that he bought Eisinga\u2019s house and made it a Royal Planetarium.<\/p>
It\u2019s now a museum \u2013 and yes, it is still working, making it the oldest functioning orrery anywhere in the world.<\/p>
Today, various small \u201cdesktop\u201d orreries are available, priced anywhere from \u00a3100 to \u00a31,000. But there\u2019s nothing quite like seeing a large, vintage orrery in action.<\/p>
Some famous places where you can see one include:<\/p>
- The Grand Orrery, Dumfries House, Ayrshire<\/a><\/li>
- Grand Orrery, Whipple Museum, Cambridge<\/a><\/li>
- Salford Museum and Art Gallery<\/a><\/li>
- Grand Orrery, Bayerisches National Museum<\/a><\/li>
- Strasbourg Astronomical Clock<\/a><\/li>
- Rittenhouse Orrery<\/a>, University of Pennsylvania<\/a><\/li>
- Pope’s Grand Orrery, Harvard University<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Biggest in the world<\/strong><\/h2>The Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre orrery is thought to be the largest in the world. Credit: Anthony Holloway, University of Manchester<\/figcaption><\/figure>The biggest in the world is thought to be the orrery at the famous Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre<\/a> in Cheshire, UK.<\/p>It comprises a system of 52 brass gears that keep its planets orbiting its Sun at the correct rate.<\/p>
If you happen to be in the area, be sure to go and visit it at Jodrell Bank. The centre is open to the public and visitors get the opportunity to operate it themselves.<\/p>
The orrery has been around for a surprisingly long time.<\/p>
The Antikythera Mechanism, for instance \u2013 which has been called ‘the world\u2019s first analogue computer’ \u2013 is a hand-turned model depicting the Sun, the Moon and the five then-known planets that dates back to the 2nd<\/sup> Century BC, and which was retrieved from an ancient shipwreck in 1901.<\/p> The first known orrery to operate by clockwork was built by Italian physician, astronomer and engineer Giovanni Dondi in 1348.<\/p> His Astrarium was an ‘astronomical clock’ that showed the positions of the various planets \u2013 albeit wrongly, of course, because in the 14th<\/sup> Century the Sun was still thought to orbit Earth (geocentrism vs heliocentrism<\/a>).<\/p> It wasn\u2019t until the Enlightenment, though, that orreries really became popular.<\/p> The first modern-style orrery was built somewhere around 1710 (reports vary) by clockmaker, inventor and\u00a0geophysicist George Graham, who was a fellow of the Royal Society.<\/p> A copy of Graham\u2019s machine was then built by clockmaker John Rowley, at the behest of Charles Boyle, the 4th<\/sup> Earl of Orrery. So now you know where it got its name from!<\/p> One of the most famous orreries is the Royal Eisa Eisinga Planetarium in the Dutch town of Franeker.<\/p> Built in his home by wool trader and amateur astronomer in the late 1770s, this mechanical orrery so delighted William I, Prince of Orange, the first king of the Netherlands, that he bought Eisinga\u2019s house and made it a Royal Planetarium.<\/p> It\u2019s now a museum \u2013 and yes, it is still working, making it the oldest functioning orrery anywhere in the world.<\/p> Today, various small \u201cdesktop\u201d orreries are available, priced anywhere from \u00a3100 to \u00a31,000. But there\u2019s nothing quite like seeing a large, vintage orrery in action.<\/p> Some famous places where you can see one include:<\/p> The biggest in the world is thought to be the orrery at the famous Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre<\/a> in Cheshire, UK.<\/p> It comprises a system of 52 brass gears that keep its planets orbiting its Sun at the correct rate.<\/p> If you happen to be in the area, be sure to go and visit it at Jodrell Bank. The centre is open to the public and visitors get the opportunity to operate it themselves.<\/p>Famous orreries<\/strong><\/h2>
Biggest in the world<\/strong><\/h2>