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The Armillary Sphere: A Representation of the Celestial Sphere and Knowledge Symbol

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Explorations in the History and Heritage of Machines and Mechanisms (HMM 2022)

Part of the book series: History of Mechanism and Machine Science ((HMMS,volume 40))

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Abstract

The armillary sphere is a model of the celestial sphere born in ancient Greece. It is made up of graduated metal circles that connect the poles and represent the equator, ecliptic, meridians and parallels; at its center a sphere represents the Earth. It is used to solve various astronomical problems and to explain the movements of stars in the sky. This scientific tool is based on projective geometric principles. Since the fifteenth century it has found a place in paintings and frescoes, where it is used as a symbol of knowledge and wisdom, so much so that it is represented alongside famous people.

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Correspondence to Barbara Aterini .

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Aterini, B. (2022). The Armillary Sphere: A Representation of the Celestial Sphere and Knowledge Symbol. In: Ceccarelli, M., López-García, R. (eds) Explorations in the History and Heritage of Machines and Mechanisms. HMM 2022. History of Mechanism and Machine Science, vol 40. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98499-1_27

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98499-1_27

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-98498-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-98499-1

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