Silver-plated celestial sphere

[Silver-plated aureometer]

Silver-plated aureometer was built during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, with a total height of 37.3 cm and a seat side length of 35.8 cm. The old collection of the Qing Palace
The heavy ring frame of this celestial sphere can be divided into three layers: the outer layer is the horizon circle, the meridian circle and the equator circle; The middle layer is the ecliptic (band), equator and white path that can rotate around the axis; The innermost layer is the four-way ring. Each ring is carved with degrees. A small earth is embedded in the center of the axis of the ring frame, with the names of “Asia”, “Europa”, “Amelia”, “Levia” and other five continents at that time. On one side of the through axis, there are sun graphics, moon graphics and small watch
The rotating celestial sphere can demonstrate the sun, the moon rotating around the earth and the eclipse of the sun and the moon
The armillary sphere was made by Nan Huairen, an official of the Imperial Academy of Heaven during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, and was presented to the imperial court in the eighth year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign (1669). The instrument is composed of three ring frames and the shape of the upper circle and the lower circle, which is the manifestation of the traditional Chinese celestial sphere. However, in terms of scale and design principle, it adopts the western method and the geocentric theory of Ptolemy in the 5th century. It can be seen that this is the work of the integration of Chinese and Western technologies. Since this celestial globe can scientifically demonstrate the cause of the eclipses of the sun and the moon, once used in the palace, it has played a positive role in inducing the Kangxi Dynasty, which just ended the dispute between the old and the new calendars, to re-apply the Western calendar and improve the Chinese astrometry instruments
The ecliptic belt of the silver-plated celestial sphere is engraved with Chinese characters, which are “made by the minister Nan Huairen in the eighth year of the Kangxi reign”.

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