Description
The Pappus Planetarium, made of printed fabric, has a large circular chart “Position of Planets” with a central image of the sun and the outer perimeter illustrated by the twelve signs of the zodiac. It is surmounted by a smaller circular chart “Position of Moon” showing an image of earth in the center also surrounded on the outer perimeter by the zodiac. On either side of the moon chart, printed tables have statistical data for the planets from Mercury to Neptune, and the moon, for Mean Distance from Sun; Diameter in miles; Velocity in Orbit. Miles Per Hour; and Siderial [sic] Period Days. An additional illustration vignette is in each spandrel beyond Position of Planets, are of scales, a lamp of knowledge, a triangle with central star, and a rising sun.
It is presumed that this is an educational device made for young students to learn astronomy encouraged by its interactive and entertaining game-like functions. This would be consistent with various other astronomy educational devices, both two dimensional and three dimensional, popular in England and American throughout the 19th Century. Nonetheless, instructions for how the device was to be used have not been located. Based on the padded surface, which has a few puncture marks, and the titles of the two charts, we conjecture that it was devised to be used with paper images of the planets and moon which could be pinned on the chart to show relative planetary positions at various times of the year. These might have been issued with the planetarium, or intended to be made by hand by the user.
This title of the device refers to the writings of Pappus of Alexandra who wrote of a planetarium known as the “Sphere of Archimedes.” This was a sophisticated planetary mechanical model designed by Archimedes to demonstrate the revolution of the planets of the solar system – including the earth and moon – relative to the ecliptic band commonly known as the zodiac. Pappus of Alexandra was known principally for his study of geometry. Among Pappus’ surviving works is Book VI of the Mathematical Collection, which documents Pappus’ annotated commentary on popular astronomical teachings of the time, further illustrating the more complex and subtle points of thinkers such as Ptolemy and Euclid. In his Mathematical Collection, Pappus mentions Archimedes’ lost work “On Sphere-Making,” a more practical manuscript detailing the construction of various mechanical models.
Despite being lost to history, the best-known mechanical model of Archimedes is the Sphere of Archimedes. As described by Cicero, Pappus, and other sources, this mechanical sphere was constructed by Archimedes to represent the movements of the sun, moon, and the then five known planets, as well as the phases of the moon. In this manner it could be used to demonstrate such astronomical phenomena as the change in seasons, eclipses, apparent path of the sun in the zodiac, and the rising and setting of stars. The Sphere of Archimedes was an extraordinary feat for the ancient world and is regarded as a precursor to later astronomical devices, including orreries, astrolabes, tellurians, and other planetaria, marking a shift to representational astronomy and interdisciplinary learning. No illustrations of an actual Sphere of Archimedes exist, though the Museum Galileo in Florence has made a conceptual drawing of what it might have looked like.
Condition: Generally good with the usual light toning, wear, and handling expected for a textile. Some minor dampstaining. A few small puncture holes in the Position of Planets chart, possibly from intended use of the device.
References:
“Archimedes: Spheres and Planetaria.” New York University. https://math.nyu.edu/Archimedes/Sphere/SphereIntro.html
“Archimedes’ Planetarium.” Museum Galileo. 2013.
https://exhibits.museogalileo.it/archimedes/object/ArchimedesPlanetarium.html
O’Connor, J.J and E. F. Robertson. “Pappus of Alexandria.” Schol of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews. April 1999. https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Pappus/#:~:text=Also%20in%20Book%20V%20Pappus,faces%20has%20the%20greater%20volume.
