Orrery

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An orrery (named after the owner of the first example, the Earl of Orrery) shows the motion of planets in the Solar System. This example was made around 1790 by George Adams (Jnr) of Fleet Street in London.

It can be set up as a planetarium to show the relative motions of the planets of the Solar System; as a lunarium, showing the motion of the moon around the earth; or with a tellurian to show the orbiting relationship of the spinning earth with the sun.

Three contemporary astronomical discoveries are depicted on the instrument; the plant Uranus, in 1781; the first two of its five satellites, in 1787; and a further two satellites of Saturn, in 1789.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-102-691-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1944.1
• Date: Around 1780
  c. 1780
  
• Material: Brass / mahogany case
  Orrery / case
  
• Dimensions: 21.00" H x 16.75" x 15.63" (case)
  
• What: Orrery / case
  
• Subject: 3. ASTRONOMY, Models (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who: G. Adams, Fleet Street, London (Orrery maker)
  
• Where: England, London
  
• Event:
• Description: Brass orrery in a polished mahogany case, by George Adams, London, c. 1780
  
• References:
  • King, Henry C. & Millburn, John R., Geared to the Stars: The evolution of planetariums, orreries and astronomical clocks. Bristol: Hilger, 1978, pp 205-6 
• Translations:
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