Orrery
An orrery is a device to model the solar system. The Smithsonian Institution's
Office of Printing & Photographic Services has an
image of one similar to those used in teaching astronomy in school,
but more elaborate.
(Local mirror of image.)
This kind of orrery is based on a simplified Kopernican model with planets circling the sun and moons circling planets.
David Rittenhouse built a classic orrery that is on display at the
University of Pennsylvania's Van Pelt Library. This orrery looks very different, but is based on the same simplified Kopernican model.
Solar System References on the Web
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Planetaria References on the Web
Page created Jan 1, 1995