FR2550874A3 - Apparatus for study of the relative movements of the earth, of the sun and of the moon. - Google Patents

Abstract

This is a teaching apparatus intended, by easy manipulations, to explain various problems relating to the apparent relative movements of the earth, of the sun and of the moon. The apparatus comprises a fixed frame 1 supporting a plate 2 embodying the horizontal plane of the observation site, pierced by a circular hole in order to permit the passage of the movable part which comprises a flat ring 5 traversed by a shaft 6 embodying the axis of the world and that of the earth assumed to be immobile at the centre of the world 8. The trajectories of the moon and of the sun are embodied by rods on which the moon and the sun can be made to slide. By varying, as a function of the latitude of the observation site, the angle of the shaft 6 with the horizon and by making the ring 5 turn it is possible, after tests at different latitudes, to deduce the answers to the questions. It is possible, by adding a few accessories, to find the solution to several problems relating to the sky.

Description

 It is an educational device intended to materialize the relative movements of the earth, the sun, and the moon and to draw consequences.

Since these are relative movements, we will assume that the earth is motionless at the center of the world and that the sun is rotating
around her, that yes was for a long time the official th-oris. This will facilitate the realization of the device without detracting from the clarity of the explanations
To fully understand the principle of the apparatus, it should be recalled that the height of the pole above the horizon is equal to the latitude of the observation point.

The device, whose fig.I gives an overall perspective view, allows in particular; to explain the inequalities of the days and
nights, polar night, the moon's moon, the eclipses
its .... all this, we repeat in a spirit of popularization
and without any scientific rigor.

The figures provided are schematic and not traced to a rigorous scale, can not be considered excluded
sives of any variant remaining in the spirit of @ 'insventin @
Fig. I therefore being a general perspective view, allows
to see that the device consists, in eros, of two parts, one
fixed, details of which will be seen in fig. 2 and 3, and a mobile part (fig. 4).

Fixed part ; it includes the entire support frame for the
mobile tie.

Fig.2 shows the cradle (3) yes connects the front fages and
back of the frame (I) .- It is on this frame that the tray (2) rests
shown in fig. 3. -This plateau materializes the astro horizon
nomioue corresponding to that of an observer placed on the ground at the place of observation.

 On the cradle (3) is mounted the orienter (4) which is, in a way, a flat ring carrying graduations, but which is not a closed ring, leaving a little less than a quarter free above the tray, until it is necessary to allow the installation of the attachment device for the point corresponding to 90, for the part (6) which materializes the axis of the earth (6) (see details below) ) .- On this orientator (4) there are provided snap points corresponding to remarkable areas such as the polar circles, the tropics and the equator ... we can also predict one that corresponds to the average latitude of the region of use.

These anchor points are generally formed by facts
nures and possibly rings.

Movable part
This is the most important of the device. (fig. 4)
It consists of a flat ring (5) integral with the axis - (6) therefore living with it.- This axis, in the accepted hypothesis, is both the axis of the earth and the axis of the world.

 Concentric to this ring (5), which is smaller, is a second flat ring (15) - these two rings are connected by spokes (I6) which, in principle, correspond to the notable points mentioned above, and which can be identified by different colors.

 In the center of the two east rings, crossed by. the axis (B) a sphere (8) which represents the earth. - This axis (6) ends with a hook (-7) which allows to subject it to the orienter (4) and which is designed in such a way so that it is disengageable which allows the earth to be fixed relative to the ring (5), ie to be able to rotate around it.

 On the earth one can draw lines represent for example, the polar circles, equator ... the meridian of the point of the observer etc ...

On the ring (5) we can mount poles which materiali @ @nt
feels (II) the ecliptic- (17) the celestial equator- and another ana
neau materializing the trajectory of the moon (10) -this moon is materialized by a small sphere which can slide on this trajectory.

Manual
a) Apparent movement of the sun;
1st case suppose an observer located on the equator; lat.0 @ long.0 @
we must therefore rotate the axis (6) so that the blades
are on the horizon.

 We then place the Sun in the "summer solstice" position - we rotate the ring (5) we then see describe its trajectory which we can materialize by placing the corresponding arch (I4), in the housings provided (14) on the plateau (2) at the points where the sun rises and sets. - Then move the sun on 126- cliptique, stop it notably at the autumn equinox, at the winter solstioe at spring equinox.

Rotate the axis (6) at each of these positions, the sun describes its fall, winter and spring trajectories, which we will materialize as before by hoops, fixed on (a)
When the sun passes below the horizon, it is night when it passes above, it is day, with passage to the Zenith meridian.

 We can notice that at the equator, the trajectories are perpendicular to the horizon.

2 Case - We can start again the operation with each of the latitudes natees higher by moving the arches used in the 1st case and by replacing them by others. - It is necessary to provide a certain number of arches in advance because their lengths are not identical.- The comparison of the results obtained; we notice the inequality of the days and the nights, the changes of inclination of the trajectories.- We will arrive at the trajectories parallel to the horizon at the poles, midnight sun etc ...

 your variations in skew of the rays explain the climatic zones.

b) Apparent movement of the money
Moving the moon in its orbit the combinations of the apparent movements of the sun and the moon make the
Phases of the moon, the difference between the sidereal revolution and
syn @ olique de la lune, the reason for a visible single face etc ...

 the very high peak of the moon in the sky during the moon plains in winter while the. the sun is low etc ...

 c) Movement of the celestial sphere.

 Although the apparatus was not studied for the examination of the movement of the celestial voure, it is however possible to do it by adding some accessories appearing some characteristic constellations, in the signs of the zodiac. We understand why one does not see the same constellations according to the months of the year. - your possibilities of using the device are very wide.

Claims (6)

R E V E N D I C A T I O N S  1 - Pedagogical device intended to explain the relative movements of the Earth, the Sun, the Moon and, possibly, some other celestial phenomena. Earth motionless at the center of the World.- The apparatus is characterized by the presence of a fixed part, the btti (I) and a motile tartie (5) comprising the @igurations of the Earth (-8) of the Sun ( 9) and the Moon (10).  2 - Apparatus according to claim N 1 cor @ cterérisé by 1. presence, for the fixed part, of a Frame (I) comprising a plate (2) pierced with a central circular hole to allow the passage of the mobile part (2) .- Inside is a cradle (3) intended to receive various coins.  3 - Apparatus according to claim N 1 and 2 characterized in that the plate (2) symbolizes the horizontal plane of the place if the observer is located. The inclined orienter (4) graduated carries part above the plate and a part below  on the cradle,  4 - Apparatus according to claims 1-2-3, characterized by the movable part which consists of a flat ring (5) integral with a 2xe (6) symbolizing l <xe of the world and, at the same time, that of Earth.- The inclination of this axis can be varied by sz serving as the orienter (4); this inclination is a function of the latitude of the point of observation.  5 - Apparatus according to the four preceding claims characterized in that one can manually slide on their respective paths the symbols of the sun (9) and wool (10), the paths being materialized by hoops or by circles .  6 - Apparatus according to claims 1-2-3-4- st 5 characterized in that by comparing the results obtained by manipulations carried out at different latitudss, one can explain many phenomena such; inequality of equinox days and nights, polar nights, eclipses ... It is also possible by adding a few accessories, to increase the field of explanations.