Details
- Object type
orrery
- Title
Fulton's Orrery
- Artist/Maker
- Place Associated
Scotland, Ayrshire, Fenwick (place of manufacture)
- Date
1823-1833
- Dimensions
overall: 1000 x 3000 x 3000 mm
- Description
-
John Fulton grew up in Ayrshire and left school when he was only 13. He often looked up at the sky and thought about how the earth and planets move round the sun. He decided to make an accurate model of the solar system – an orrery. Before he could make it he had to teach himself maths and astronomy.
He made every part of this orrery. It is very complicated, with 175 wheels and more than 200 moving parts. He took ten years to make his model of our solar system. It is one of the best in the world.
- ID Number
T.2002.9
- Location
In storage