The idea of a space-themed model has been "floating around" at Ugears for some time. Every time we announce a new model, hopeful Ugears fans ask, "Is that an orrery?" A project was born from this shared desire. Our mission: to spread knowledge about space and time by helping people visualize the movements of our planet we live on and its closest satellite, the moon.
Ugears is proud to present the Mechanical Tellurion, an accurate wooden model of our universe. Tellurion (which in English is also called tellurian, tellurium, and also sometimes loxocosm) is an ingenious mechanism that describes the cosmic dance between the sun, the earth and the moon. The changes of day and night, the phases of the moon and the changes of the seasons can be seen and understood through the movements of this 3D model. Tellurion (from Latin tellus, meaning "earth") is associated with an orrery that depicts the relative positions and movements of the planets and moons in the solar system in a heliocentric model.
What is my place in the universe? Where am I going? We can't help you with the metaphysical side of these questions, but this wooden model will help you understand the journeys you make as a traveler on our Earth and your interconnected relationship with some of your closest celestial neighbors. We all experience the regular cycles of day and night, the phases of the moon, the changing of the seasons and the passage of years. But how many of us really understand these phenomena or can explain what is behind the clocks and calendars that rule our lives? Any child can tell you how old they are, but ask a child how many times they've circled the sun and you might get a confused look or an amusing assortment of answers: One hundred and twenty-seven? Ten thousand? Once? Never?
Build a fascinating DIY wooden model Tellurion, show it to your family and friends, and you will gain a better understanding of the sky, the seasons and the concept of time itself. Turn the handle to set the precisely calibrated gear into motion. One revolution of the handle = one revolution of the earth on its axis = one day. Point to a spot on the earth's surface, observe the position of the rotating earth in relation to the sun, and visualize sunrise and sunset, the change of day to night. Tellurion shows that the phases of the moon are a function of the moon's position relative to the sun and earth. As the moon rotates, it rises and falls slightly, which changes the trajectory. The earth's orbit around the sun, as well as the right angle from the earth's 23.5 degree tilt on its axis, shows why we experience seasonal changes (outside the equatorial regions). Tellurion charts the passage of the seasons while providing a handsome graphic representation of the horoscope showing the sign and constellation you were born under.
The Ugears Mechanical Tellurion can be manually adjusted or "tuned" to give an accurate picture of the relative positions of the sun, earth and moon on any given day. When "tuning" the mechanism, set the pointer on the season selector to mid-winter or mid-summer. The Earth, on its tilted axis, can be rotated (using the gear beneath the phases of the moon) so that either the hemisphere is farthest from the sun during the dark midwinter or closest to the sun in summer. To set the current date, turn the handle the correct number of days forward or backward, depending on which time is closest to the solstice. With the help of the lunar calendar, you can adjust the position of the moon to the correct phase using the upper gear plate. Tellurion is now "set". Give the model one rotation of the crank each day to represent the Earth's progress around the Sun and the Moon's orbit as it orbits the Earth.
• Self-assembly, no glue required
• Model size: 40.5 x 26 x 30.5 cm
• Package size: 37.8 x 17 x 3.4 cm
• Number of components: 249
• Estimated assembly time: 5 hours
• Level: Intermediate
• Made in Ukraine
