A fascination with the solar system has been evident through the ages. Archeological evidence reveals, for example, that the Ancient Greeks made devices resembling orreries. An orrery is a model used to show the location of bodies in the solar system and how they relate to one another. The earliest models used clock work and gears to drive the bodies, showing their rotational patterns.
Copernicus, a keen astronomer, came up with the theory that the earth orbited around the sun and not the other way round as was believed at the time. Kepler, a brilliant mathematician, agreed with him. So did Galileo and he was condemned to years of house arrest for his beliefs. He was one of the first to use a telescope to see four moons orbiting Jupiter. This was a clear contradiction to the current belief that everything revolved around the earth.
This sun-centered theory was firmly established by the 1700s. In 1714 George Graham, a clockmaker, made a modern version of the model with the earth going round the sun. A copy of this was made for Charles Boyle by an instrument maker who enjoyed his patronage. He encouraged further work on the model and it was not long before the interest in orreries spread. They began to become more complex, including planets and moons.
The Armagh Observatory is an astronomical research institute that has an interactive project. It allows humans to play the part of moving planets. The scale is accurate and the earth, five planets, two comets and an asteroid are represented. Stainless steel tiles are placed on the ground to represent the orbits and humans jump from one tile to another.
Most orreries are not built to scale as this is impractical. Logarithms are used instead to simplify calculations, enabling rotation rates of planets to be proportional to actual rates. In classrooms, the most simple of orreries may be used an educational tools. Orreries including moons are more complex as the moons need to orbit the planets as the planets orbit the sun.
Today online simulation of orreries have become available which are easy for anyone to use. They allow one to see the different bodies orbiting about and are often quite beautiful to watch. Such simulations are often used at universities.
Technologically advanced software 3D applications are available today. They can be used on a number of modern devices. These applications enable enthusiasts to see planets up close, orbit around them and even land on them for further exploration.
Orreries are very useful as educational tools for teachers wanting to explain astronomy to their students. The digital applications offer hours of entertainment for astronomy enthusiasts. Then there are the beautifully constructed orreries still constructed by artisans today for which people are prepared to pay high prices. Human beings continuing fascination with the solar system means that many different types of orreries exist today and will continue to do so in the future.
Copernicus, a keen astronomer, came up with the theory that the earth orbited around the sun and not the other way round as was believed at the time. Kepler, a brilliant mathematician, agreed with him. So did Galileo and he was condemned to years of house arrest for his beliefs. He was one of the first to use a telescope to see four moons orbiting Jupiter. This was a clear contradiction to the current belief that everything revolved around the earth.
This sun-centered theory was firmly established by the 1700s. In 1714 George Graham, a clockmaker, made a modern version of the model with the earth going round the sun. A copy of this was made for Charles Boyle by an instrument maker who enjoyed his patronage. He encouraged further work on the model and it was not long before the interest in orreries spread. They began to become more complex, including planets and moons.
The Armagh Observatory is an astronomical research institute that has an interactive project. It allows humans to play the part of moving planets. The scale is accurate and the earth, five planets, two comets and an asteroid are represented. Stainless steel tiles are placed on the ground to represent the orbits and humans jump from one tile to another.
Most orreries are not built to scale as this is impractical. Logarithms are used instead to simplify calculations, enabling rotation rates of planets to be proportional to actual rates. In classrooms, the most simple of orreries may be used an educational tools. Orreries including moons are more complex as the moons need to orbit the planets as the planets orbit the sun.
Today online simulation of orreries have become available which are easy for anyone to use. They allow one to see the different bodies orbiting about and are often quite beautiful to watch. Such simulations are often used at universities.
Technologically advanced software 3D applications are available today. They can be used on a number of modern devices. These applications enable enthusiasts to see planets up close, orbit around them and even land on them for further exploration.
Orreries are very useful as educational tools for teachers wanting to explain astronomy to their students. The digital applications offer hours of entertainment for astronomy enthusiasts. Then there are the beautifully constructed orreries still constructed by artisans today for which people are prepared to pay high prices. Human beings continuing fascination with the solar system means that many different types of orreries exist today and will continue to do so in the future.
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