British Museum Orrery - London, England, UK
Posted by: Metro2
N 51° 31.131 W 000° 07.573
30U E 699376 N 5711441
The first modern (planets circling the Sun) orrery (a mechanical solar system model) was created in 1704...presented to the Earl of Orrery..hence the name.
Waymark Code: WMDFYA
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/10/2012
Views: 9
Located inside the British Museum which does not charge an admission fee and DOES allow non-flash photography, the placard accompanying this orrery reads:
"Orerry
Orreries, mechanical models of the solar
system, were well-known teaching tools, often
forming the centerpiece of lectures on
astronomy. They demonstrated Copenicus's
theory that the earth, moon and planets
revolve around the sun. This example, from
about 1750, is smaller but otherwise similar
to George II's grand orrery."
See this Wikipedia article on orreries (
visit link)