Armillary sphere

Armillary sphere. Single stem ball stand with wooden base. Four arms supporting the horizon ring. The whole sphere moves from half way down the base column. The horizon ring is engraved with names of the eight winds, months and zodiac names and divisions. Cranked wooden Earth at centre.
The primary sphere consists of eight brass rings. In the centre there are two movable systems of brass rings connected to two short axes fixed at the North and South ecliptic poles of the primary sphere. These systems represent the orbs of the Sun and the Moon. The larger system (for the Sun) consists of two brass rings, which are fixed perpendicularly to each other. Both these rings, one of which carries a disc for the Sun, represent circles of latitude. The smaller system (for the Moon) also consists of two brass rings, similarly constructed, with one of them carrying a symbol for the Moon. In the centre, there is a small 'gold'-painted sphere, presumably made of papier mache, mounted on an equatorial polar axis connected to two little arcs. These arcs are attached to the two ecliptic axes, so that the poles of this sphere always point to the North and South equatorial poles of the primary sphere. The sphere in the centre is probably a later replacement, in a vain attempt to turn this fundamentally geocentric armillary sphere into a heliocentric one. For further information about the cartography and construction of this armillary sphere please refer to the related publication, Globes at Greenwich.

Object Details

ID: AST0634
Collection: Astronomical and navigational instruments
Type: Armillary sphere
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Ferreri, Joannes Paolo
Date made: 1624
People: Michel, Charles
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Caird Collection
Measurements: Diameter: 200 mm;Overall: 340 mm
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