<em>Three Dimensional Celestial Instrument, So-Called Orrery</em>, 19th century. Wood, metal, pigment, component 'a' - the planets: 16 x 40 x 17 in. (40.6 x 101.6 x 43.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum Collection, 53.260a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 53.260a-b_overall_installation_PS4.jpg)

Three Dimensional Celestial Instrument, So-Called Orrery, 19th century. Wood, metal, pigment, component 'a' - the planets: 16 x 40 x 17 in. (40.6 x 101.6 x 43.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum Collection, 53.260a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 53.260a-b_overall_installation_PS4.jpg)

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The materials on this piece look worn. Was it in active use as a teaching tool or a toy?

It was definitely not a toy, and was used by scientists. After centuries of thinking that the Sun revolved around the Earth, Western science agreed that the Sun is at the center of our solar system. Complex and beautiful scientific instruments such as this took their place beside works of art in collectors’ display cabinets and the libraries of scholars as one tool to explain the world around us. It is thought that the first model like this was made for the Earl of Orrery, in 1704, and from him it gets its name.

Do you remember who it was that discovered that the sun was in the center of solar system?

Wow--a true test of knowledge! I think I'll have to look that up, any ideas?

Hmmm I thought it was Copernicus.

Okay after a quick Google search I found it was first thought of by Aristotle and Ptolemy and then in the 16th century Copernicus proved it was true, you got it!

That object you're looking at would likely have been in a study and is called an 'Orrery,' named for the man for whom the first model was made, the Earl of Orrery in 1704.

Awesome! Thank you.

This appears to have a hand crank! Was it able to be rotated? Also, it doesn't look even remotely to scale haha do you know if it was thought to be accurate?

Probably! It's a model of the solar system, as it was understood in the 19th century. It's supposed to mimic the movement of the planets. Our models have come a long way since then!

An orrery like this may have been kept in a display cabinet or library.

Can you tell me what the astronomers thought were between the Earth and the sun in the past?

Ancient astronomers have been studying the planets and their movements for centuries. In earlier models of the solar system, this created some discrepancies due to the nature of Mercury and Venus' movements. With the heliocentric model, that problem is solved.

Is that a wind up model of the solar system?

This item is listed in our collection as a "Three Dimensional Celestial Instrument, So-Called Orrery".

This version dates to the 19th century. After Western science agreed that the Sun was at the center of our solar system, objects like these took their place beside works of arts in collectors' display cabinets as a tool to explain the world around us.

It is thought that the first model was made for the Earl of Orrery in 1704, hence the name.

Three Dimensional Celestial Instrument, So-Called Orrery

Decorative Arts and Design

On View: Decorative Art, 19th Century, 4th Floor

After centuries of thinking that the Sun revolved around the Earth, Western science agreed that the Sun is at the center of our solar system. Complex and beautiful scientific instruments such as this took their place beside works of art in collectors’ display cabinets and the libraries of scholars as one tool to explain the world around us. It is thought that the first model like this was made for the Earl of Orrery, in 1704, and from him it gets its name.

MEDIUM Wood, metal, pigment

DATES 19th century

DIMENSIONS component 'a' - the planets: 16 x 40 x 17 in. (40.6 x 101.6 x 43.2 cm) component 'b' - Lunar model: 13 x 22 1/2 x 8 in. (33 x 57.2 x 20.3 cm) as installed in Milligan room. display volume of 'a' with 'b': 16 x 61 x 20 in. (40.6 x 154.9 x 50.8 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Decorative Arts and Design

ACCESSION NUMBER 53.260a-b

CREDIT LINE Brooklyn Museum Collection

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Decorative Art, 19th Century, 4th Floor

CAPTION Three Dimensional Celestial Instrument, So-Called Orrery, 19th century. Wood, metal, pigment, component 'a' - the planets: 16 x 40 x 17 in. (40.6 x 101.6 x 43.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum Collection, 53.260a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 53.260a-b_overall_installation_PS4.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 53.260a-b_overall_installation_PS4.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2015

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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