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orrery
orrery A working model of the Solar System which represents mechanically the movements of the planets. The name is from the fourth Earl of Cork and Orrery, Charles Boyle (1676–1731), for whom one of the first was made. Popular in the 18th century, they ranged from ‘grand orreries’ a metre in diameter which re-created the rotational and orbital motions of planets and satellites, down to small portable devices featuring just the Earth, Moon, and Sun. An orrery of the latter type is also known as a tellurium or tellurian.
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"orrery." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "orrery." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-orrery.html "orrery." A Dictionary of Astronomy. 1997. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O80-orrery.html |
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orrery
orrery a clockwork model of the solar system, or of just the sun, earth, and moon. It is named after Charles Boyle (1676–1731), fourth Earl of Orrery, for whom a copy of the machine invented by George Graham c.1700 was made by the instrument-maker John Rowley.
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "orrery." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "orrery." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-orrery.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "orrery." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-orrery.html |
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orrery
or·rer·y / ˈôrərē/ • n. (pl. -rer·ies) a mechanical model of the solar system, or of just the sun, earth, and moon, used to represent their relative positions and motions. |
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Cite this article
"orrery." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "orrery." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-orrery.html "orrery." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-orrery.html |
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orrery
orrery mechanism for representing the motions of the planets. XVIII. Named after Charles Boyle, Earl of Orrery, for whom a copy of the machine invented by George Graham c.1700 was made.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "orrery." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "orrery." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-orrery.html T. F. HOAD. "orrery." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-orrery.html |
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