The Armillary Sphere
You may have seen an armillary sphere before. At its heart there is
something recognizable - the Earth. Around it is a bewildering array of
rings, centered on our planet. All have distinct scientific functions
yet the armillary sphere is also a profoundly beautiful object: art and
science married in harmony.
Although the
armillary sphere
was superseded in the seventeenth century by the European telescope,
surviving examples remain objects of fascination and wonder. The first
question, of course, is what does it do? The second is invariably who
invented it?
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