Cometarium

Description:

Small mechanical model showing the orbit of a comet around the sun, with “The Comet of 1682, J. Rix, Fecit” inscription. John Rix was a London instrument maker who probably made this in anticipation of the return of Halley’s Comet in 1758.

Ref: Martin Beech, “Cometaria and the Demonstration of Kepler’s 1st and 2nd Laws,” Bulletin of the Scientific Instrument Society 82 (2005): 29-33.

Date Made: ca 1758

Maker: Rix, John

Location: Currently not on view

Place Made: United Kingdom: England, London

Subject: Astronomy

Subject:

See more items in: Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences, Globes, Science & Mathematics

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Credit Line: William Crawford Winlock

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: PH.204630Accession Number: 36169Catalog Number: 204630

Object Name: Cometarium

Physical Description: metal (overall material)Measurements: overall: 6 in x 4 in; 15.24 cm x 10.16 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-df2f-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_694725

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