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Armillary Sphere
Signed by Antonio Santucci
Constructed 1588 to 1593; Florence
Wood and metal; 2420 mm in diameter
This enormous armillary sphere, more than 3 metres in height, was begun on 4 March 1588 and completed on 6 May 1593. It was constructed on the commission of Ferdinando I by his 'master of the Sphere', Antonio Santucci di Pomarance.At the centre of the sphere is the terrestrial globe, surrounded by seven planetary spheres and a sphere of the fixed stars bearing the zodiac band. To these eight mobile spheres is added a ninth, known as the Primum mobile, which is fixed and bears the polar caps and the meridians of metal wire. The Medici-Lorraine arms adorn the inner surface of the two caps (Ferdinando I was married to Christine of Lorraine). The movement of the machine was made possible by a handle which rotated an axle passing through the earth.
Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza, Firenze
Inventory no. 714
© Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza, Firenze. All rights reserved. Information and images provided here may not be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the museum.
Basic URL: http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/epact/catalogue.php?ENumber=61618 |
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