The astronomers' ring

A finger planetarium from the 16th century

The Astronomers' Ring is a particularly elegant and beautiful example of a portable armillary sphere, based on a 16th-century model. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary finger ring. In fact, however, it consists of five individual rings, artfully connected by axles and capable of being rotated independently of each other. This allows the ring to be unfolded, creating a mini planetarium.

The reconstructed inscription is based on the largely astrological astronomy of the 16th century.

The two outer rings bear the inscription:

• Ptolomaius invenit
• Copernicus invertit
• Joh. Kepler calculavit
• AstroMedia fecit MMXXI

The inner rings feature the symbols of the signs of the zodiac.

The ring of the astronomers consists of a galvanically gold-plated zinc-copper alloy.