Rix Cometarium

Rix Cometarium

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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.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
Cometarium
date made
ca 1758
maker
Rix, John
place made
United Kingdom: England, London
Physical Description
metal (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 6 in x 4 in; 15.24 cm x 10.16 cm
ID Number
PH.204630
accession number
36169
catalog number
204630
Credit Line
William Crawford Winlock
subject
Astronomy
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Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
Globes
Science & Mathematics
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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