ID:
1793
Maker's Name:
Norman Heckenberg
Where made:
Australia
1983
Dimensions:
50 × 50 × 5 cm
Norman Heckenberg built this simple Orrery at home to show his children how solar and lunar eclipses occur.
Maintenance of the inclination of the Earth's axis of rotation to the ecliptic is achieved using a Ferguson Mechanical Paradox implemented with two pulleys and a belt.
Unlike most classical orreries, this one has a light source at the centre, allowing the phenomena of day/night and phases of the Moon to be demonstrated, in homage to Joseph Wright of Derby's famous painting.
