orreries
Mechanical planetary models
Orreries are mechanical models of the solar system, with balls representing planets that rotate around a central sun.
Named after the Earl of Orrery, for whom an early example was made, they were popular in the 18th century for demonstrating planetary motion.
The singular is orrery: The museum's antique orrery still works.
Spring-driven gear system
- gearsToothed rotating machine parts
- cogsProjections on a wheel
- mechanismMeans by which something operates
- automatonSelf-moving mechanical device
escapement · springs · crank · rotary · pulleys · levers · cam · linkage
Star-orbiting celestial bodies
- sunEarth's primary star
- mercuryLiquid metallic element
- earthSoil or electrical grounding
- marsTo impair quality
moon · orbit · eclipse · solstice · equinox · ecliptic · heliocentric · geocentric
Facility for celestial study
- telescopeInstrument magnifying faraway objects
- constellationsRecognized celestial groupings
- cosmologyStudy of universal structure
- astrophysicsPhysics of celestial bodies
astronomer · celestial · zodiac · Hubble · Tycho · Kepler · Galileo · ephemeris
Accuracy of measurement
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- intricacyState of elaborate complexity
- accuracyDegree of correctness
- tolerancesAllowable limits of variation
fine-tuning · craftsmanship · detail · synchronization · exactness · alignment · meticulousness · fabrication
Public display of opinion
- teachingProfession of instructing others
- curriculumEducational program's content plan
- instructionalIntended to educate
- interactiveAllowing mutual exchange
learning · classroom · pedagogy · Enlightenment · natural philosophy · museum · collection · patronage
clockwork
Spring-driven gear system
- gearsToothed rotating machine parts
- cogsProjections on a wheel
- mechanismMeans by which something operates
automaton · escapement · springs · crank · rotary · pulleys · levers · cam · linkage · sprocket
planets
Star-orbiting celestial bodies
mars · moon · orbit · eclipse · solstice · equinox · ecliptic · heliocentric · geocentric · celestial
observatory
Facility for celestial study
- telescopeInstrument magnifying faraway objects
- constellationsRecognized celestial groupings
- cosmologyStudy of universal structure
astrophysics · astronomer · celestial · zodiac · Hubble · Tycho · Kepler · Galileo · ephemeris · astrolabe
precision
Accuracy of measurement
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- intricacyState of elaborate complexity
- accuracyDegree of correctness
tolerances · fine-tuning · craftsmanship · detail · synchronization · exactness · alignment · meticulousness · fabrication · miniature
demonstration
Public display of opinion
- teachingProfession of instructing others
- curriculumEducational program's content plan
- instructionalIntended to educate
interactive · learning · classroom · pedagogy · Enlightenment · natural philosophy · museum · collection · patronage · aristocratic
orreriestelescopes
Optical magnifying instruments
observatories · radio telescopes · space probes · satellites · spectrometers