DOCSLIB.ORG

Decoding the Moon Phase Display Device Over the Front Dial of the Antikythera Mechanism

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

CHINESE JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ·676· Vol. 28,aNo. 4,a2015 DOI: 10.3901/CJME.2015.0414.061, available online at www.springerlink.com; www.cjmenet.com; www.cjme.com.cn Decoding the Moon Phase Display Device over the Front Dial of the Antikythera Mechanism LIN Jian Liang* and YAN Hong Sen Department of Mechanical Engineering and University Museum, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, China Received September 22, 2014; revised April 7, 2015; accepted April 14, 2015 Abstract: The Antikythera mechanism is the most famous ancient astronomical calculator. The damaged excavation is a critical constraint for decoding the mechanism completely. By the systematic reconstruction design methodology, all feasible designs of the moon phase display device, which is one of the unclear mechanisms of the Antikythera mechanism, are reconstructed. These designs, including ordinary gear trains and epicyclic gear trains, are the simplest designs and satisfy the surviving evidence. The Antikythera mechanism and its reconstruction designs presented by LIN and YAN are introduced first. Three pointer types of the Antikythera mechanism are concluded based on their display motions and the orientation of the mechanism. In accordance with the analysis of the available interior reconstruction designs and the surviving evidence, four feasible designs of the moon phase display device are generated. All of them utilize the ball pointer with black and white that rotates around the radial axis to show cyclic moon phase. Two of these four feasible reconstruction designs are driven by one input source, and their bronze disks are fixed and rotatable respectively. Both of the remaining reconstruction designs are driven by two input sources, and their bronze disks are rotatable. Therefore, the four reconstruction designs of the moon phase display device reveal all possible display conditions of the moon phase pointers and the possible purposes of the bronze disk. Keywords: Antikythera mechanism, moon phase display device, reconstruction design, gear train discovery of its excavation is a great event of archaeology, 1 Introduction and the relevant historical background is interesting. The reconstruction research of this ancient mechanical Ingenious mechanical devices are designed to serve device depended on the development of image technology special purposes or perform special functions. By the in the past years. In 1975, PRICE presented the first combinations of joints and members, the devices can reconstruction design with the concentric front dials and transmit constrained motions by moving upon each other as back dials. The front displayed the Sun and the Moon. The mechanisms, or transmit forces without any relative motion back was suggested to show synodic month and lunar year, as structures. The characteristics of constrained motions of and the corresponding gear trains were incomplete[2–3]. On mechanical devices are used to proceed complicated the basis of PRICE’s design, EDMUNDS and MORGAN calculations and precise measurements, especially for the added the indications of Mar and Venus[4]. WRIGHT, et al, astronomical applications, such as astrarium, planetarium, presented a serious research to correct PRICE’s design and armillary sphere, astrolabe, orrery and mechanical clocks. gradually reconstruct the second design[5–15]. The spiral Among these mechanical devices, the pointer design back dials were presented, and the Metonic cycle and the regarding how to indicate the required information is one of Callippic cycle were indicated by the back upper dials, and the most important mechanism designs. The Persian the moon phase display function was introduced at the first astrolabe with calendrical gearing dated in AD 1221 as time[13]. FREETH, et al, almost completely decoded the shown in Fig. 1 is a good example. Its pointers not only inscriptions of back dials to confirm their functions, indicate the positions of astronomical bodies, but also show including the Metonic cycle, Callippic cycle, Olympiad moon phase[1]. As far as the pointer design is concerned, the cycle, Saros cycle and Exeligmos cycle[16–19]. Further, Antikythera mechanism, which is the astronomical FREETH, et al, reconstructed the epicyclig gear trains for calculator of ancient Greece, is a classical sample. The the planetary motions[20]. KOETSIER made a detail introduction about the historical development of [21] * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] reconstruction research of the mechanism . EVANS, et Supported by National Science Council, Taiwan, China(Grant No.NSC al, presented a different concept of the front dial and its 99-2221-E-006-253) corresponding design of epicyclic gear trains[22–23]. © Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015 CHINESE JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ·677· EFSTATHIOU, et al, investigated the characteristic of the excavation of the Antikythera mechanism that was the triangular gear shape and built a latest reconstruction model oldest astronomical calculator. that is preserved in the archaeological museum of Athens[24]. The Antikythera mechanism was identified to survive The complicated calculation and indication systems of the between 150 BC–100 BC. Its interior structure was a Antikythera mechanism contain many different kinds of sophisticated arrangement of bronzed gear trains and each pointers. Among them, the detail design of the moon phase surviving gear has triangular teeth shape. The available display device over the front dial to show the cyclic information including the gear sizes, the teeth depths and variation of moon phase is unclear owing to the damaged the corresponding teeth numbers implied the outstanding and insufficient evidence, even the existing design of the craftsmanship in the era of the Antikythera mechanism. device was identified as an epicyclic gear mechanism. Nevertheless, the device was absolutely strange to everyone at the discovery time. The historical records or literatures about such a geared device were not found. And, it was suggested that the unknown device with complex structure could be a geared calculator for making accurate measurements or calculation. Furthermore, none of all known ancient artifacts was the same as this excavated mechanical device, such as the calendrical gear train described in an Islamic treatise in 1000 AD, the Persian astrolabe with calendrical gearing in 1221 AD, the Byzantine sundial with calendrical gearing in 1062 AD and Dondi’s astrarium in the 14th century AD. As a result, this strange mechanical device was just named “Antikythera mechanism” in accordance with the excavated position. The Antikythera mechanism was gradually decoded through a long time period of research. It was a bronze geared astronomical calculator encased in a wooden box approximately 315 mm×190 mm×100 mm and driven by hands through a crank attached on one side, as shown in Fig. 2. Both the front and back have the doors, and there are numerous inscriptions on the plates. The following is the introduction of the known exterior appearance and characteristics. Fig. 1. Persian astrolabe with calendrical gearing in 1221[1] The purpose of this paper is to conclude all feasible designs of the moon phase display device that can correspond to various reconstruction designs of the interior structure presented by LIN and YAN[25–30]. The Antikythera mechanism and the authors’ efforts on its reconstruction designs by a systematical design methodology are introduced. The mechanism of all pointer designs contained are analyzed. These possible designs are able to perfectly connect to the authors’ previous reconstruction designs of Fig. 2. Reconstruction model by authors[25–30] the interior structure to restore the whole Antikythera [25–30] mechanism . Certainly, all reconstruction works are on 2.1 Front plate the basis of the surviving evidence. The front plate has one metal dial which includes two concentric annuli with different scales, as shown in Fig. 3(a). The inner scale is fixed and divided into 12 divisions. 2 Known Antikythera Mechanism Those groups are marked with names of the signs of the Zodiac in Greek. The outer scale is movable and divided In 1900, a team of Greek sponge-divers on their home into 365 parts corresponding to the Egyptian calendar. By way sailing from Tunisia to Symi was driven off course by turning the scale forward one day every four years, the a storm and was forced to stay in the Antikythera Island. calendar is corrected to be consistent to the true length of This accident resulted in the discovery of the Antikythera the year. Over the front dial, several pointers respectively shipwreck, a great treasure of archaeology, containing the display the date, the sun, the moon and the five planets, LIN Jian Liang, et al: Decoding the Moon Phase Display Device over the Front Dial ·678· of the Antikythera Mechanism including Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. Furthermore, a bronze disk with a hole is over the center of 3 Reconstruction Work of the Interior the front concentric annuli and the above pointers. And a Structure small ball with black and white rotates inside the hole to display the change of moon phase during one month. That Ever since 1900, some scholars have made their efforts is the so-called moon phase display device in this paper. to reconstruct the interior gear trains of the Antikythera While the date is appointed, the positions of all designated mechanism[2–24]. D. PRICE presented the first systematic celestial bodies and the moon phase at that time are reconstruction design during the late 1950s to early revealed. In addition, there are some Parapegma 1970s[2–3]. M. WRIGHT presented another reconstruction inscriptions that describe the correspondence between the design, which could display the Metonic cycle and the rising and setting of particular stars and the civil date on the Callippic cycle in 2001 to 2007[5–15]. Since 2002, FREETH front plate. Some inscriptions could be regarded as the focused on decoding the interior structure of the manual to describe the operating this mechanism. mechanical device to define its appropriate role[16–18].
Recommended publications
  • SSSS It's About Time Division C Event by Syo Astro

    SSSS It's About Time Division C Event by Syo Astro

    SSSS It’s About Time Division C Event By syo_astro Directions * Each question is worth one point, where each part (ie. a, b, etc or i, ii, etc) is worth an additional point. The test is 71 points and 30 minutes. Use space provided for answers. * The test involves various types of questions relating to time, timekeeping, astronomy, physics, and/or mechanics. * Within plus or minus 10% of a quantitative answer is considered correct. Without units and significant figures, a correct answer is given a ½ point. * Don’t be afraid to guess (logically) for partial credit where possible, and have fun! PAGE 1 1. This man came up with the idea of absolute time. 2. In 1502, who built the first pocketwatch? 3. Who invented the 1st quartz clock in 1927? 4. In 1577, who invented the first minute hand? 5. Who completed the first documented astrarium clock? 6. In what year was daylight saving time first established in the US? 7. What type of clocks are H1, H2, H3, H4, and H5? 8. What escapement is shown below? 9. Describe one common problem with the escapement below. 10. Label the following referring to the escapement below. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. PAGE 2 11. What is the physical purpose of the pendulum in clocks? Why is one used? 12. What clockmaker’s tool is an iron vertical plunger that can place rollers and balanced wheels on staffs? 13. Circle the fusee in the device shown below. a. What is its purpose? 14. What is a silent timekeeping instrument traditionally called? 15.
  • The Geography of Ptolemy Elucidated

    The Geography of Ptolemy Elucidated

    The Grography of Ptolemy The geography of Ptolemy elucidated Thomas Glazebrook Rylands 1893 • A brief outline of the rise and progress of geographical inquiry prior to the time of Ptolemy. §1.—Introductory. IN tracing the early progress of Geography it is necessary to remember that, like all other sciences, it arose from “ small beginnings.” When men began to move from place to place they naturally desired to tell the tale of their wanderings, both for their own satisfaction and for the information of others. Such accounts have now perished, but their results remain in the earliest records extant ; hence, it is impossible to begin an investigation into the history of Geography at the true fountain-head, though it is in some instances possible to guess the nature of the source from the character of the resultant stream. A further difficulty lies in the question as to where the science of Geography begins. A Greek would probably have answered when some discoverer first invented a method for map- ping out the distance between certain places, which distance conversely could be ascertained directly from the map. In accordance with modern method, the science of Geography might be said to begin when the subject ceased to be dealt with mythically or dogmatically ; when facts were collected and reduced to laws, while these laws again, or their prior facts, were connected with other laws—in the case of Geography with those of Mathematics and Astro- nomy. Perhaps it would be better to follow the latter principle of division, and consequently the history of Geography may be divided into two main stages—“ Pre-Scientific” and Scientific Geography—though strictly speaking, the name of Geography should be applied to the latter alone.
  • The Magic of the Atwood Sphere

    The Magic of the Atwood Sphere

    The magic of the Atwood Sphere Exactly a century ago, on June Dr. Jean-Michel Faidit 5, 1913, a “celestial sphere demon- Astronomical Society of France stration” by Professor Wallace W. Montpellier, France Atwood thrilled the populace of [email protected] Chicago. This machine, built to ac- commodate a dozen spectators, took up a concept popular in the eigh- teenth century: that of turning stel- lariums. The impact was consider- able. It sparked the genesis of modern planetariums, leading 10 years lat- er to an invention by Bauersfeld, engineer of the Zeiss Company, the Deutsche Museum in Munich. Since ancient times, mankind has sought to represent the sky and the stars. Two trends emerged. First, stars and constellations were easy, especially drawn on maps or globes. This was the case, for example, in Egypt with the Zodiac of Dendera or in the Greco-Ro- man world with the statue of Atlas support- ing the sky, like that of the Farnese Atlas at the National Archaeological Museum of Na- ples. But things were more complicated when it came to include the sun, moon, planets, and their apparent motions. Ingenious mecha- nisms were developed early as the Antiky- thera mechanism, found at the bottom of the Aegean Sea in 1900 and currently an exhibi- tion until July at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris. During two millennia, the human mind and ingenuity worked constantly develop- ing and combining these two approaches us- ing a variety of media: astrolabes, quadrants, armillary spheres, astronomical clocks, co- pernican orreries and celestial globes, cul- minating with the famous Coronelli globes offered to Louis XIV.
  • Thinking Outside the Sphere Views of the Stars from Aristotle to Herschel Thinking Outside the Sphere

    Thinking Outside the Sphere Views of the Stars from Aristotle to Herschel Thinking Outside the Sphere

    Thinking Outside the Sphere Views of the Stars from Aristotle to Herschel Thinking Outside the Sphere A Constellation of Rare Books from the History of Science Collection The exhibition was made possible by generous support from Mr. & Mrs. James B. Hebenstreit and Mrs. Lathrop M. Gates. CATALOG OF THE EXHIBITION Linda Hall Library Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering and Technology Cynthia J. Rogers, Curator 5109 Cherry Street Kansas City MO 64110 1 Thinking Outside the Sphere is held in copyright by the Linda Hall Library, 2010, and any reproduction of text or images requires permission. The Linda Hall Library is an independently funded library devoted to science, engineering and technology which is used extensively by The exhibition opened at the Linda Hall Library April 22 and closed companies, academic institutions and individuals throughout the world. September 18, 2010. The Library was established by the wills of Herbert and Linda Hall and opened in 1946. It is located on a 14 acre arboretum in Kansas City, Missouri, the site of the former home of Herbert and Linda Hall. Sources of images on preliminary pages: Page 1, cover left: Peter Apian. Cosmographia, 1550. We invite you to visit the Library or our website at www.lindahlll.org. Page 1, right: Camille Flammarion. L'atmosphère météorologie populaire, 1888. Page 3, Table of contents: Leonhard Euler. Theoria motuum planetarum et cometarum, 1744. 2 Table of Contents Introduction Section1 The Ancient Universe Section2 The Enduring Earth-Centered System Section3 The Sun Takes
  • The Dark Shades of the Antikythera Mechanism

    The Dark Shades of the Antikythera Mechanism

    Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-6255-9 (0123456789().,-volV)(0123456789().,-volV) The dark shades of the Antikythera Mechanism 1 2 3 Aristeidis Voulgaris • Christophoros Mouratidis • Andreas Vossinakis Received: 19 June 2018 Ó Akade´miai Kiado´, Budapest, Hungary 2018 Abstract In this work we analyze the dark shades which are evident on the AMRP X-ray positive Computed Tomographies and Radiographies of the Antikythera Mechanism ancient prototype. During 2000 years under the sea, the Mechanism bronze parts were totally corroded. The decreased X-ray absorption of the corroded bronze, allowed the CTs capture even in the thick large side of Fragment A. During the photometric analysis of the CTs, apart from corroded bronze, at least two other different (corroded) metal materials were detected, which were used by the ancient manufacturer during the construction of the Antikythera Mechanism. From our analysis and correlating with the mechanical evidence resulting by the use of our functional reconstruction models of the Antikythera Mechanism, we conclude that the existing design of the Antikythera Mechanism is probably the first of such a sophisticated design of the ancient manufacturer. Keywords Metals of Antikythera Mechanism Á Bronze corrosion Á Atacamite X-ray absorption Introduction Mechanism via the 2D X-ray and Thulium 170 radiation began by C. Karakalos of National Centre of Scientific The Antikythera Mechanism was found in 1901, in a Research ‘‘Demokritos’’ (Greece), in the 1970s. Karakalos shipwreck at 50 m depth, on a gulf of Antikythera island, took several film radiographies @160 keV [3]. The first Greece, by Symian sponge divers.
  • Mg Minigears and an Ancient Geared Clock That

    Mg Minigears and an Ancient Geared Clock That

    ADDENDUM mG miniGears Products of Padua: and an Ancient Geared Clock that Tracks Planets’ Movements Some things take time, but a magazine ad more than 600 years in the making? That’s unusual, but it’s one way of looking at the ads for mG miniGears that featured a complex, highly geared, planet- tracking clock called the Astrarium. The Addendum team had noticed the clock in miniGears’ ads in Gear Technology; the last one appeared in the Jan./Feb. ’04 issue, and the top of it is at right. But we only recently learned the story behind the clock, why the ads featured it, and how a man’s interest in the Astrarium led to the creation of two books and a CD about the ancient device. The story starts with Giovanni Dondi, who lived in 14th-century Italy, in Padua. Although a doctor, Dondi was interested in astronomy and clockmaking, so much so he designed and built the original Astrarium in the 1360s. More than a regular clock, the Astrarium uses a year wheel and a geared assembly to track the movements of the sun, moon and fi ve planets: Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars. manufacturing company there. The thinner of the books is Dondi’s Dondi didn’t include the other three The coincidence of Dondi and de’ manuscript, reproduced page by page, planets because he didn’t know about Stefani both being Paduans might have cover to cover, in full-sized color them. No one did. It’s the 14th century, come to nothing if not for one other photographs.
  • Decoding the Mechanisms of Antikythera Astronomical Device Decoding the Mechanisms of Antikythera Astronomical Device Jian-Liang Lin · Hong-Sen Yan

    Decoding the Mechanisms of Antikythera Astronomical Device Decoding the Mechanisms of Antikythera Astronomical Device Jian-Liang Lin · Hong-Sen Yan

    Jian-Liang Lin · Hong-Sen Yan Decoding the Mechanisms of Antikythera Astronomical Device Decoding the Mechanisms of Antikythera Astronomical Device Jian-Liang Lin · Hong-Sen Yan Decoding the Mechanisms of Antikythera Astronomical Device 1 3 Jian-Liang Lin Hong-Sen Yan Department of Mechanical Department of Mechanical Engineering Engineering National Cheng Kung University National Cheng Kung University Tainan Tainan Taiwan Taiwan ISBN 978-3-662-48445-6 ISBN 978-3-662-48447-0 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-662-48447-0 Library of Congress Control Number: 2015950021 Springer Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifcally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microflms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specifc statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made.
  • Our Place in the Universe Sun Kwok

    Our Place in the Universe Sun Kwok

    Our Place in the Universe Sun Kwok Our Place in the Universe Understanding Fundamental Astronomy from Ancient Discoveries Second Edition Sun Kwok Faculty of Science The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong, China This book is a second edition of the book “Our Place in the Universe” previously published by the author as a Kindle book under amazon.com. ISBN 978-3-319-54171-6 ISBN 978-3-319-54172-3 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-54172-3 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017937904 © Springer International Publishing AG 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made.
  • 10 · Greek Cartography in the Early Roman World

    10 · Greek Cartography in the Early Roman World

    10 · Greek Cartography in the Early Roman World PREPARED BY THE EDITORS FROM MATERIALS SUPPLIED BY GERMAINE AUJAe The Roman republic offers a good case for continuing to treat the Greek contribution to mapping as a separate CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN THEORETICAL strand in the history ofclassical cartography. While there CARTOGRAPHY: POLYBIUS, CRATES, was a considerable blending-and interdependence-of AND HIPPARCHUS Greek and Roman concepts and skills, the fundamental distinction between the often theoretical nature of the Greek contribution and the increasingly practical uses The extent to which a new generation of scholars in the for maps devised by the Romans forms a familiar but second century B.C. was familiar with the texts, maps, satisfactory division for their respective cartographic in­ and globes of the Hellenistic period is a clear pointer to fluences. Certainly the political expansion of Rome, an uninterrupted continuity of cartographic knowledge. whose domination was rapidly extending over the Med­ Such knowledge, relating to both terrestrial and celestial iterranean, did not lead to an eclipse of Greek influence. mapping, had been transmitted through a succession of It is true that after the death of Ptolemy III Euergetes in well-defined master-pupil relationships, and the pres­ 221 B.C. a decline in the cultural supremacy of Alex­ ervation of texts and three-dimensional models had been andria set in. Intellectual life moved to more energetic aided by the growth of libraries. Yet this evidence should centers such as Pergamum, Rhodes, and above all Rome, not be interpreted to suggest that the Greek contribution but this promoted the diffusion and development of to cartography in the early Roman world was merely a Greek knowledge about maps rather than its extinction.
  • User Guide 2.0

    User Guide 2.0

    NORTH CELESTIAL POLE Polaris SUN NORTH POLE E Q U A T O R C SOUTH POLE E L R E S T I A L E Q U A T O EARTH’S AXIS EARTH’S SOUTH CELESTIAL POLE USER GUIDE 2.0 WITH AN INTRODUCTION 23.45° TO THE MOTIONS OF THE SKY meridian E horizon W rise set Celestial Dynamics Celestial Dynamics CelestialCelestial Dynamics Dynamics CelestialCelestial Dynamics Dynamics 2019 II III Celestial Dynamics Celestial Dynamics FULLSCREEN CONTENTS SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS VI SKY SETTINGS 24 CONSTELLATIONS 24 HELP MENU INTRODUCTION 1 ZODIAC 24 BASIC CONCEPTS 2 CONSTELLATION NAMES 24 CENTRED ON EARTH 2 WORLD CLOCKASTRONOMYASTROLOGY MINIMAL STAR NAMES 25 SEARCH LOCATIONS THE CELESTIAL SPHERE IS LONG EXPOSURE 25 A PROJECTION 2 00:00 INTERSTELLAR GAS & DUST 25 A FIRST TOUR 3 EVENTS & SKY GRADIENT 25 PRESETS NOTIFICATIONS LOOK AROUND, ZOOM IN AND OUT 3 GUIDES 26 SEARCH LOCATIONS ON THE GLOBE 4 HORIZON 26 CENTER YOUR VIEW 4 SKY EARTH SOLAR PLANET NAMES 26 SYSTEM ABOUT & INFO FULLSCREEN 4 CONNECTIONS 26 SEARCH LOCATIONS TYPING 5 CELESTIAL RINGS 27 ADVANCED SETTINGS FAVOURITES 5 EQUATORIAL COORDINATES 27 QUICK START QUICK VIEW OPTIONS 6 FAVOURITE LOCATIONS ORBITS 27 VIEW THE USER INTERFACE 7 EARTH SETTINGS 28 GEOCENTRIC HOW TO EXIT 7 CLOUDS 28 SCREENSHOT PRESETS 8 HI -RES 28 POSITION 28 HELIOCENTRIC WORLD CLOCK 9 COMPASS CELESTIAL SPHERE SEARCH LOCATIONS TYPING 10 THE MOON 29 FAVOURITES 10 EVENTS & NOTIFICATIONS 30 ASTRONOMY MODE 15 SETTINGS 31 VISUAL SETTINGS ASTROLOGY MODE 16 SYSTEM NOTIFICATIONS 31 IN APP NOTIFICATIONS 31 MINIMAL MODE 17 ABOUT 32 THE VIEWS 18 ADVANCED SETTINGS 32 SKY VIEW 18 COMPASS ON / OFF 19 ASTRONOMICAL ALGORITHMS 33 EARTH VIEW 20 SCREENSHOT 34 CELESTIAL SPHERE ON / OFF 20 HELP 35 TIME CONTROL SOLAR SYSTEM VIEW 21 FINAL THOUGHTS 35 GEOCENTRIC / HELIOCENTRIC 21 TROUBLESHOOTING 36 VISUAL SETTINGS 22 CONTACT 37 CLOCK SETTINGS 22 ASTRONOMICAL CONCEPTS 38 ECLIPTIC CLOCK FACE 22 EQUATORIAL CLOCK FACE 23 IV V INTRODUCTION SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS The Cosmic Watch is a virtual planetarium on your mobile device.
  • Pos(Antikythera & SKA)018

    Pos(Antikythera & SKA)018

    Building the Cosmos in the Antikythera Mechanism Tony Freeth1 Antikythera Mechanism Research Project 10 Hereford Road, South Ealing, London W54 4SE, United Kingdom E-mail: [email protected] PoS(Antikythera & SKA)018 Abstract Ever since its discovery by Greek sponge divers in 1901, the Antikythera Mechanism has inspired fascination and fierce debate. In the early years no-one knew what it was. As a result of a hundred years of research, particularly by Albert Rehm, Derek de Solla Price, Michael Wright and, most recently, by members of the Antikythera Mechanism Research Project, there has been huge progress in understanding this geared astronomical calculating machine. With its astonishing lunar anomaly mechanism, it emerges as a landmark in the history of technology and one of the true wonders of the ancient world. The latest model includes a mechanical representation of the Cosmos that exactly matches an inscription on the back cover of the instrument. We believe that we are now close to the complete machine. From Antikythera to the Square Kilometre Array: Lessons from the Ancients, Kerastari, Greece 12-15 June 2012 1 Speaker Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike Licence. http://pos.sissa.it Building the Cosmos in the Antikythera Mechanism Tony Freeth 1. Ancient Astronomy Astronomy? Impossible to understand and madness to investigate... Sophocles Since astronomy is so difficult, I will try to keep everything as simple as possible! As all astronomers know well, the stars are fixed! When the ancients looked at the sky, they saw a number of astronomical bodies that moved relative to the stars.
  • The Antikythera Mechanism, Rhodes, and Epeiros

    The Antikythera Mechanism, Rhodes, and Epeiros

    The Antikythera Mechanism, Rhodes, and Epeiros Paul Iversen Introduction I am particularly honored to be asked to contribute to this Festschrift in honor of James Evans. For the last nine years I have been engaged in studying the Games Dial and the calendar on the Metonic Spiral of the Antikythera Mechanism,1 and in that time I have come to admire James’s willingness to look at all sides of the evidence, and the way in which he conducts his research in an atmosphere of collaborative and curious inquiry combined with mutual respect. It has long been suggested that the Antikythera Mechanism may have been built on the is- land of Rhodes,2 one of the few locations attested in ancient literary sources associated with the production of such celestial devices. This paper will strengthen the thesis of a Rhodian origin for the Mechanism by demonstrating that the as-of-2008-undeciphered set of games in Year 4 on the Games Dial were the Halieia of Rhodes, a relatively minor set of games that were, appro- priately for the Mechanism, in honor of the sun-god, Helios (spelled Halios by the Doric Greeks). This paper will also summarize an argument that the calendar on the Metonic Spiral cannot be that of Syracuse, and that it is, contrary to the assertions of a prominent scholar in Epirote stud- ies, consistent with the Epirote calendar. This, coupled with the appearance of the extremely minor Naan games on the Games Dial, suggests that the Mechanism also had some connection with Epeiros. The Games Dial and the Halieia of Rhodes The application in the fall of 2005 of micro-focus X-ray computed tomography on the 82 surviv- ing fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism led to the exciting discovery and subsequent publi- cation in 2008 of a dial on the Antikythera Mechanism listing various athletic games now known as the Olympiad Dial (but which I will call the Games or Halieiad Dial—more on that below), as well as a hitherto unknown Greek civil calendar on what is now called the Metonic Spiral.3 I begin with my own composite drawing of the Games Dial (Fig.