This clock runs on the moon. Quite literally.
And just like the moon, this astronomical clock also moves very slowly. It takes 29 days, 12 hours and 44 minutes for the moon sphere to display all its phases – exactly the average duration from one new moon to the next. How is this possible?
In the moon clock, a sphere that is half white and half black is rotated very slowly by a special clockwork mechanism so that it continuously displays the current phase of the moon from minute to minute, from the first delicate crescent of the new moon through the waxing half-moon to the full moon and then back to the new moon. The representation of the phases is as accurate as the moon itself, for this large sphere in space, which is always half-lit by sunlight, behaves no differently in its interaction with the sun.
Although the AstroMedia moon clock draws inspiration from the great astronomical clocks of the Middle Ages, as a wall or table clock it is probably the first and only one in the world to display the changing moon phase in this way. Assembling this cardboard kit with its special clockwork mechanism is straightforward and quickly yields a very elegant result.
Contents:
- 3 pre-cut and printed sheets of construction cardboard, A4
- 1 printed sheet for cutting out from construction cardboard, A4
- 1 special clock mechanism, 56 x 56 x 16 mm, completes a cycle in 29.53 days, incl. washer (metal), rubber disc and nut (metal)
- 2 EVA hemispheres, Ø 40 mm x 20 mm, 1 black and 1 white (moon hemispheres)
- 3 toothpicks made of wood, Ø 2 mm x 80 mm (extension of the moon shaft)
- 1 cardboard drinking straw, Ø 6 mm x 140 mm (reducing sleeve)
- Detailed assembly instructions
Not included but required: 1 AA battery
Dimensions of the assembled item: approx. 12 x 7.5 x 14.5 cm
Construction time: approx. 4 hours
