Astronomical clock
An astronomical clock is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information, such as the relative positions of the sun, moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets.
Image:
Astronomical Clock 1540, Munster, Westfalen, Paulusdom
Unlike modern clocks, the Münster clock is divided into 24 hours, runs counterclockwise, and indicates hours and minutes simultaneously. Since the clock faces south, the hands thus follow the actual course of the sun. The main hand, decorated with a silver sun indicates the time. Each red and white line within the circle of Roman numerals represents four minutes. Five minor hands indicate the position of the planets Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Saturn and Mercury, while a silver ball (half painted black) represents the moon in its phases
Source:
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/germany/munster-cathedral
Image credit: Groenling
Good lord, that's beautiful! Mechanical automata such as this are completely fascinating to me. The thought and craft that went into their design and construction are a joy to behold.
ReplyDeleteMarc McNaughton I agree. The age and the styling is wonderful. This may sound strange, but I wonder what it sounds like and whether its mechanics can be felt as vibrations on it's surface.
ReplyDeleteSean Walker: I'd practically give a limb to be able to sit back behind the face and watch the mechanism go through its paces. I had the pleasure of watching the works of a tower clock from the 1400's operate at the British Museum in London in 2002. The sense of history and the care and craft of the builders was palpable. I can only imagine watching this machine run would be an amazing experience.
ReplyDeleteAll that on top of the artistry of the face. I do love the art of that period - particularly books of hours from the period immediately before Gutenberg. Reading up on the link Corina Marinescu provided, it seems this clock served a similar purpose to parts of those books, providing the means for the populace to determine the date of Easter and other information relating to activities of the Church.
It looks so wonderful but I can't help wondering what is behind this awesomeness?
ReplyDeleteI'd choose to sit back behind and watch the entire mechanism! I bet that will give me a brain priapism =D
Corina Marinescu Exactly. That mechanism must be amazing.
ReplyDeleteThese sorts of mechanisms embody an irresistible combination of things: perfect, orderly determinism. A sort of signature of a classical physics mind leaving behind an elegant design solution. And a myriad of rings, cogs and rotor elements precisely cascading through waves of cause and effect chains. Which makes me think, maybe I need I nice big mechanical clock in my room to sleep to the rhythm of it's internal stirrings - like Morgan Freeman's character in Seven. :)
ReplyDeleteI'd like to have Sherlock Holmes slow motion capability...sit and watch every piece moving, spinning, making me to swim in my own mind.
ReplyDeleteIf someone made and sold a good replica of the Antikythera mechanism I'd probably buy it. The discovery threw a wrench, so to speak, in our understanding of when mechanical gears were invented.
ReplyDeleteI would love to own this clock and hang it in my office.
ReplyDelete