Orrery for sale UK – Orreries UK: Orrery design & manufacture Peter Grimwood – Peter Grimwood produces museum quality Orreries and other astronomical models.
The Solar System
A model showing the eight planets in the Solar system.
The white Jade planets orbit at the correct rate relative to the Earth, the moon orbits the Earth and shows the changing phases. The arms can be set to specific years with the setting discs provided. The date ring shows the days of the year and the ‘extra’ quarter of a day that makes the leap year a necessity once every four years.
Options include: a customised dial, a ‘secret’ message under the dial, additional (non-rotating) moons round some of the other planets. A Library model with armillary rings and on a granite base (image 4).
Mercury
The orbit of Mercury is the most elliptical in the Solar system. This model shows the offset orbit of Mercury, and also its slow daily rotation that takes two ‘Mercury’ years to complete.
Earth and our moon are also shown to highlight the differences in their motions.
Library orrery
A floor standing library orrery showing the Sun, the daily rotation of the Earth, the orbiting Moon and a star map of gold stars on a midnight blue glass disc that shows those stars visible on the date indicated by the date hand.
SUN – EARTH Scale Model
This is a true scale model of the Earth and the Sun, and really shows how much space there is in space!
As you pull the silver ring a thin thread comes out of the 100mm diameter Sun. Then you see the 1mm diameter Earth appear and it only stops when it reaches the correct scale distance of 10.8 metres from the Sun.
Jupiter and its moons
Built as a tribute to Galileo’s discoveries in 1610.
One turn of the handle is one Earth day.
Jupiter orbits the Sun in 4332 days, and the four main Jovian moons orbit in times from 42 hours to 16.5 days. Earth and our moon are shown for comparison.
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Orrery for sale UK – Orreries UK: Orrery design & manufacture Peter Grimwood – Peter Grimwood produces museum quality Orreries and other astronomical models.
Orrery for sale UK – Orreries UK: Orrery design & manufacture Peter Grimwood – Peter Grimwood produces museum quality Orreries and other astronomical models.
Orrery for sale UK – Orreries UK: Orrery design & manufacture Peter Grimwood – Peter Grimwood produces museum quality Orreries and other astronomical models.
Orrery for sale UK – Orreries UK: Orrery design & manufacture Peter Grimwood – Peter Grimwood produces museum quality Orreries and other astronomical models.
Peter Grimwood produces museum quality Orreries and other astronomical models
These range from a Solar System hidden inside a hollow silver ball only 4 inches across, to a ceiling mounted motorised version where the longest arm sweeps out a four metre diameter circle.
There is a range of current models, some are stocked, others are made to order. Commissions for new designs are welcomed, though these will take longer as the design work will need to be done first. Learn more about orreries. WHAT IS AN ORRERY?
A model that shows the planets revolving round the Sun, normally without any planetary rotation or axial tilt, is called a Planetarium.
WHY ARE THEY CALLED ORRERIES?
In 1712 an instrument maker called John Rowley built an Earth/Moon/Sun model for Charles Boyle, who was the fourth earl of Orrery. John Rowley, most probably in an attempt to flatter his patron, named the device “an Orrery” and the name stuck!