h a l f b a k e r yThe leaning tower of Piezo
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Astronomical clocks are Baked and WKTE.
They are either quite large (in cathedrals and public buildings), or rely on digital displays.
BorgCo engineers have designed a simple yet aesthetically pleasing analog clock to fulfill most of the functions of a classic astronomical clock.
The unit consists
of a main dial, around which are arranged six other dials in a hexagon, aligned with one of its vertices to the vertical.
The central display shows the current local time; windows in the dial display the day and date. The secondary display at the 12 position shows UTC, also with day and date.
The top left dial shows the time of the next sunrise at local time, and top right is the next local sunset.
Bottom left is local moonrise, bottom right is local moonset.
The 6 position shows the moon phase by means of a set of occluding shutters which mimic the moon's current aspect.
The clock is intended for those who seem to have insuperable difficulty comprehending data presented to them in anything but the very simplest format.
The secondary dials progress to the next event immediately after the indicated event occurs, so once the sun has risen, the sunrise dial quickly ticks round to the next event.
The clock is mains powered and comes with an exceptionally long, tough yet flexible cable, eminently suitable for garotting anyone who stands in front of the clock for five minutes and then asks "So, what time does it go dark tonight ?"
Patek Philippe Henry Graves Supercomplication
https://en.wikipedi...s_Supercomplication
"one of the most complicated mechanical pocket watches ever created ... delivered to Henry Graves on January 19, 1933." [8th of 7, Jan 18 2020]
Standing inside the clock is possible
https://cdn.improb....star-projectors.jpg
Scaling and clock workings not included [wjt, Mar 01 2020]
[link]
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//The clock is mains powered// Frankly, then, it's an app.
The only real clocks are those that tick. |
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Also required: planispheric astrolabe dial showing current position of sun moon planets and selected stars. Tide clock showing current local tide state of nearest tidal body of water. Pen-trace paper continually extruded from a slot at the side showing history of all recorded and displayed variables, plus temperature and air pressure. Little door with a cuckoo which pops out and whistles every 15 minutes and a little music box that plays a different tune every hour. Very gentle red illumination to allow easy reading in the dark without loss of night vision. Backup generator to allow use during power cuts. |
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Ah, Sir wishes to purchase the DeLuxe version, available in a range of expensive finishes, utilising precious metals and precious and semi-precious stones (choice of natural or synthetic). |
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[MB], there is a fully mechanical version for those fortunate enough to be able to employ a staff of full time professional clock winders and adjusters, but your query suggests that you find the combined Astronomical Clock and Orrery that occupies the entire Slightly Less Great South-Eastern Courtyard in some way deficient. After all, if you want to check the time, you only have to send one of your sprinting footmen on a two kilometer round trip to bring you a real-time update ... |
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A decent watchmaker ought to be able to fit all that into a
wristwatch. Indeed, as watch complications go, the ones you
postulate are not especially challenging. |
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Indeed not; it's been done. <link> |
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Ah, so what you are proposing is to take an advanced
wristwatch and, by dint of precision engineering, miniaturize
it to the size of a clock? |
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//or rely on digital displays// |
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I have to say I don't quite understand the aversion to this. If the watchmaker's art is to do with precision engineering, then surely quartz oscilators and integrated circuits are far finer and more complex pieces of design and engineering than metal gearwheels? |
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Yes, that is the obvious conclusion. |
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The problem arises not from the display, but from the deficiency of the human attempting and repeatedly failing to obtain useful information from it. |
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// what you are proposing is to take an advanced wristwatch and, by dint of precision engineering, miniaturize it to the size of a clock? // |
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We got the idea from a study of EU regulations. |
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//I don't quite understand the aversion to this.// I suppose
it's a bit like the difference between injection moulding and
carving; the former can make more consistently accurate
items, but is held in lower esteem than the latter. |
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What about lost-wax casting from a hand-carved original, though ? |
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That can produce multiple identical examples from a single handmade master. |
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Yes, you mean a bit like the way that photocopies of the Mona
Lisa sell for almost as much as the original? |
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<Pats replicator, chuckles/> |
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Many renowned sculptors in bronze have made multiple copies of their work. |
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Yes, they have. But I bet the more they make, the less
they're worth. |
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Not if the buyer is totally convinced that they've bought the only one. |
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Possibly so. And how did you get hold of Pats replicator? |
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We got it to make a copy of itself, silly. |
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That's just artificial scarcity, like how people will actually pay to download mp3 files |
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Yes, it's delightful how your species is so dumb as to hand over resources for things that have no physical existence or intrinsic value ... |
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Then again, once you accept paper money, you're on the slippery slope. |
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The point about trade is that no item has an absolute value. Its value is defined by what someone who desires it is prepared - at that moment - to pay for it. If you're drowning, a lifebelt is worth more *at that moment* than a block of gold. |
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It's all down to pshycologyoggy ... |
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//If you're drowning, a lifebelt is worth more *at that
moment* than a block of gold. // Yes, that was the mistake
made by the late Davey "Jones" Buchanan. |
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Upgrade: put the whole thing in a cylindrical glass box; big
enough to stand in, on a Viewing Spot. So you can show not
only the time of sun & moon rise & set, but the position
(azimuth) too. |
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The sun and moon. The position of an astronomical object is described by its azimuth and right ascension. |
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