How long is an academic hour? Astronomical clock: description, design features. Notable astronomical clocks

Time is one of the most difficult categories to understand in philosophy and physics. It is easiest to define it as necessary condition for any change. People already at the dawn of their history realized the need to somehow determine the course of time. At first, only fairly large intervals were measured: a year, a month, a day. Drop by drop, people noticed the running away of time by sunrises and sunsets, the change of seasons, and their own aging. Gradually, the need to define shorter intervals became apparent. Hours, minutes, seconds appear. With complication human activity methods of measuring time were also improved. Each interval began to acquire more and more exact value. An atomic and ephemeral second, an astronomical hour arose (“How much is this?” You ask. The answer is a little lower). Today, the focus of our attention is the hour, the most commonly used unit of time in everyday life, as well as the clock, without which it is difficult to imagine the modern world.

A bit of history

It is easy to see that time calculation is fundamentally different from the method of calculation accepted today. It is based on the duodecimal system, which was used by the Sumerians in ancient times. The division of the hour into minutes is also rooted in time. It is based on the sexagesimal number system, also invented in the Tigris and Euphrates valley.

The Egyptians were the first to divide the day into 24 hours. The hour then had a different duration depending on the season and whether it belonged to the night or the day. The Egyptians and Babylonians divided the day into two equal parts. Day and night, that is, dark and light time, included 12 hours each. Accordingly, the length of the hour varied in each half, depending on the season.

Similar systems existed in Greece and Rome. In the Middle Ages in Europe, the day was divided according to church services.

The term "hour" was first used by the Greeks. Variable lengths of time spans have persisted throughout the world for quite some time. In our country in the XVI-XVII centuries, the duration of the hour was constant, but the number of hours changed day and night depending on the season. In Russia, they began to measure time similarly to Europe after 1722.

What is the astronomical hour?

The word "hour" is often used to denote periods of time of various lengths, close to 60 minutes. Everyone knows what it is, for example, quiet or curfew. The lengths of time denoted by these and similar concepts can last the usual 60 minutes, a little less or a little more, or designate not an interval, but a specific moment of the day, after which one process should end and a new one should begin.

And an astronomical hour is how many minutes? This concept denotes a standard period of time, a fixed duration. It is the astronomical hour that is equal to 60 minutes or 3600 seconds and is most often referred to simply as "hour". This unit of time is not included in the modern SI metric system (International One of the reasons is that the hour does not belong to the usual today decimal. However, it is actively used all over the world along with the accepted SI units.

How long is the lesson?

Academic and astronomical hour are different concepts. The first term refers to the period of time during which the lesson lasts. Its value is not the same for different age groups. When working with children in kindergartens, educators shorten the duration to 20-30 minutes; in the year before graduation, it sometimes increases to 40 minutes. In schools, lessons last 40-45 minutes, couples at the university - 90 minutes. The reason for these differences is the ability to concentrate. It increases with age. If in kindergarten introduce classes for 45 minutes, and at school - for 90, students will get very tired and are unlikely to remember and learn the material in the required volume.

Measuring minutes

Time in our minds is inextricably linked with the mechanisms by which we notice its running. The clock appeared at the same time when people first felt the need to somehow measure intervals shorter than a day. It is now impossible to know the exact date of their occurrence - it was so long ago. The first copies measured time by noting the movement of the Sun across the sky, and with the help of running water. Also, sand and fire were used as the basis of the clock.

With the improvement of knowledge and the increase in the pace of life, more and more accurate designs were required. Sand, fire and water clocks were refined and complicated, then they were replaced by mechanical time meters.

Gears, spring and pendulum

The oldest mechanical clock was found at the bottom of the sea near the island of Antikythera. They date back to 100 BC. The Antikythera astronomical clock is unique: it has quite complex structure and have no analogues in the culture of the Hellenes. The mechanism, according to several reconstructions undertaken, consisted of 32 gears. The clock showed the change of days, the movement of the Sun and the Moon. The signs of the zodiac were depicted on the dial. It is possible that the design was also capable of simulating the movement of Venus, Mars, Mercury and Jupiter across the sky.

Escapement clocks first appeared in China in 725. A little later, in 1000, a pendulum began to be used in Germany. tower clock first in Western Europe were built at Westminter in 1288.

Mechanisms that measure time became more and more accurate. Making them required a lot of skill. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in Europe, the most amazing astronomical clocks in terms of beauty and subtlety of work were created, which the whole world admires today.

Masterpiece from Lyon

The oldest working astronomical clock in France adorns the cathedral in Saint-Jean (Lyon). They were created in the XIV century, destroyed, then restored from 1572 to 1600, decorated with baroque decor in 1655. Initially, like all watches of this era, they were equipped with only an hour hand. The minute dial was installed only in the 18th century.

In addition to time, by looking at the Lyon astronomical clock, anyone can find out the date, the position in the sky of the two main luminaries, the Moon and the Sun. The mechanism also shows when the brightest stars rise above the city. During the day, the clock strikes four times (at 12, 14, 15, 16 hours). In the upper part of the structure there are pupae that begin to move during the ringing.

Pride of Prague

The astronomical clock eagle, located on the tower of the town hall in Prague, is famous all over the world. Their history can be called dramatic. Created by Orla was more than 600 years ago, in 1402, earned a little later - in 1410. The "fathers" of watches are considered to be astronomer Jan Schindel and craftsman Mikulash from Kadan.

The decoration of the city hall had to be repaired several times. In 1490, Hanush from Ruže made changes to the mechanism and, according to legend, was blinded by order of the Prague authorities so that he could not repeat what he had created again. At the same time, the clock was decorated with allegorical figures and equipped with calendar discs.

New significant design changes occurred in 1865. Then Josef Manes added an eagle with a calendar dial with medallions decorated with symbolic images of the months, signs of the zodiac. The Golden Cockerel, which appears after the movement of the figurines is completed, appeared on the clock in 1882.

Orloi today

The Prague clock impresses not only with its beauty, but also with the virtuosity of the work of the masters who created them. Orloi shows the Old Bohemian, Babylonian, Starry, Italian and, of course, the "present" time. By the clock you can find out the date, the position of the Earth and the signs of the zodiac. They celebrate the rising and setting of the Sun and the Moon. Every hour, the figurines decorating the eagle begin to move, they talk about human vices, remind of the eternal.

Clock of Strasbourg Cathedral

The astronomical clock was finally completed in 1857. Their predecessors were installed in 1354 and 1574. The uniqueness of the watch lies in its ability to calculate the dates of passing church holidays, as well as a mechanism showing His complete revolution is completed in more than 25 thousand years. The Strasbourg clock shows local and solar time, the orbits of the Earth, the Moon and the planet from Mercury to Saturn.

This is not a complete list of masterpieces that adorn different cities around the world. Even 1 astronomical hour (the one that is equal to 60 minutes) will not contain a description of all the subtleties of the mechanisms and delightful decorations of such creations. However, this is not necessary - it is better to see such masterpieces, embodying a fusion of knowledge, skill, mathematical calculation and creative inspiration with your own eyes.

"Academic hour is how much"- if you drive such a request into a search engine on the Internet, the answer will be simple: 45 minutes. However, the answer to a question like "3 ordinary hours - how many academic hours is this?" will depend on the standards established in a particular educational institution. Let's figure out what kind of unit of measurement this is ...

Hour astronomical and academic

The term itself academic hour” is not as familiar as “school hour”, but it has been used for a long time: its definition is recorded in dictionaries published before the 70s of the 20th century.

However, it is not as definite a unit of time as the astronomical hour (the one that is equal to 60 minutes). Therefore, if we take a certain period of time in the measurement we are used to, simply saying how many academic hours it will be will not work: the answer will depend on what exactly the duration of the academic hour is set in each specific case.

For example, according to the SanPiN and the decrees of the Government of the Russian Federation, which regulate the process of education in general and professional educational institutions, the duration of an academic hour in them is on average 45 minutes. At the same time, for a general school, such a rule almost always applies (only for lower grades, a reduction to 35-40 minutes is acceptable), and in vocational schools and universities, the duration is established by the charter. However, even there, as a rule, an academic hour is 45–50 minutes. It is this number that should be guided by when converting astronomical hours into academic ones.

Where is the term used?

Since the term "academic hour" denotes a unit of study time, it is clear that it is used in educational institutions: when scheduling, calculating the workload of teachers, etc. And if students are more interested in the duration of the academy. hours, then teachers are more interested in their number, since this parameter is the main one in the calculation of wages.

nsovetnik.ru

"Academic hour - how much is it?"- often sounds from freshmen who are accustomed to standard lessons at 45 minutes.

However, in universities, the unit of measurement is the academic hour, the parameters of which are highly dependent on the educational institution itself.

The whole life of a person is built around the concept of an astronomical hour, which consists of 60 minutes and is accepted throughout the world.

But in educational institutions, a different system of measurement is used - an academic or academic hour.

Lessons and a calendar are built on it, this measurement system is used when taking into account the work of teachers and the material covered.

Important to know: the academic hour is used in all educational institutions - primary, secondary and higher.

This concept appeared in the 70s of the XX century. The reduction of the usual hour to the academic one in schools has become necessary due to the physical and mental characteristics of the kids: it is difficult for them to keep their attention for a long time, they need regular rest.

The reduction has also become useful for teachers, since their salary depends on the number of academic hours completed.

According to SanPiN, an academic hour lasts 45 minutes, but this is not an exact figure - it depends on the age of the students.

In the first grade in the first half of the year, one lesson is 35 minutes (34 lessons per day), and starting from January, the lessons "grow" to the usual 45 minutes.

For one subject, students are given 72 hours a year.

In kindergarten, classes are even shorter:

For children 3-4 years old, they are 15 minutes;
For children 4-5 years old - 20 minutes;
For children 5-6 years old - 25 minutes.

All of them are carried out after sleep in the afternoon. This helps to gradually increase the load, accustoming kids to it.

This is interesting: in other countries, the lesson lasts 60 minutes and is divided into 2 parts: 15 minutes of break and rest from the last lesson and 45 minutes of the lesson itself.

However, institutions may apply other intervals depending on the rules established by the institution. Most often, replacement does not occur, but such an opportunity is still provided. For example, some universities prefer to focus on the astronomical clock.

How long does a couple last

The concept of "couple" is not legally defined, but is often used in higher education institutions.

It is a block of 2 combined training hours of 45 minutes each, that is, one pair is equal to 90 minutes. Most often, a small (5-10 minutes) break is made between these hours, but it may not be.

Total amount spent on education a separate subject hours are written in the diploma.

It is worth considering: there is no exact call at universities, and the students themselves and the teacher monitor compliance with the measures, they also determine the need for a break, and when it comes.

In other countries, double lessons of 90 minutes are also used, but there may also be blocks of 50 or 75 minutes.

Also, the term can be used in additional classes and courses. It is advisable to clarify in advance how long an hour lasts in a particular institution, so as not to run into fraud: for example, having paid for an hour of classes, study for 40-45 minutes.

The concept of "academic" hour" is usually found in educational institutions and differs from the usual 60 minutes in an astronomical hour. A school hour is a 45 minute learning process during which children do not get tired or lose focus.

sovetnik.guru

The duration of our courses is indicated in astronomical hours:

1 astronomical hour = 60 minutes.

Some training centers show the duration of the course in academic hours.

Keep this in mind when comparing course lengths.

1 academic hour = 45 minutes.

According to regulatory documents:

An academic hour is the minimum accounting unit of study time. The duration of an academic hour is, as a rule, 45 minutes (Ministry of Education of Ukraine "Order on approval of the Regulations on the organization educational process in higher educational institutions (clause 4.1 of the Regulations) N161 dated 02.06.93 Kiev)
Two academic hours form a pair of academic hours (hereinafter referred to as a pair) (Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine "Order on approval of the Regulation on the organization of the educational process in higher educational institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine" (Regulation, clause 1.2.9) 14.02.2008 N 69)

Minute is a unit of time, equal to 60 seconds or 1/60 of an hour. Abbreviated Russian designation: min, international: min. "Minute" is a word of Latin origin. Its meaning in translation into Russian sounds like "smallness".

Academic hour- this is the name of the training hour in vocational education institutions.

It is not equal to astronomical and is set normative documents. In general, an academic hour lasts 45 minutes (may vary between 45-50 minutes). In universities, one lesson lasts 2 academic hours, that is, 90 minutes and is called a “training couple” (“couple”).

Translation formulas

In one academic hour - 45 minutes, in one minute - 1/45 of an academic hour.

How to convert academic hours to minutes

To convert academic hours to minutes, you need to multiply the number of academic hours by 45.

NUMBER OF MINUTES = NUMBER OF ACADEMIC HOURS * 45

For example, in order to find out how many minutes are in 4 academic hours, you need 4 * 45 = 180 minutes.

How to convert minutes to academic hours

To convert minutes to academic hours, you need to divide the number of minutes by 45.

NUMBER OF ACADEMIC HOURS = NUMBER OF MINUTES / 45

For example, in order to find out how many academic hours are in 360 minutes, you need 360/45 = 8 academic hours.

At the beginning of their studies at the university, freshmen are faced with many new realities, and almost the first of them is double classes, the duration of which is not always easy to navigate and understand how long a couple lasts.

A couple at a university is a lesson lasting two academic hours, the duration of which is less than astronomical. One academic hour is a unit of study time in all educational organizations. It is used in the preparation of plans and accounting for the work of teachers.

Each university has the right to independently set the time frame for an academic hour within 45-50 minutes and determine how long the couple will last.

On average, a couple at a university or institute goes for about a hundred minutes, including a five-minute break between half-pairs, if it is not provided, then 90 minutes.

How many couples per day

The maximum allowable daily number of pairs is calculated based on the norms prescribed in the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 71 of February 14, 2008.

It indicates the maximum amount of teaching load (hours allotted in total for classroom and extracurricular activities) of students various forms learning:

full-time - 54 per week;
evening - 16 per week;
part-time - 200 per year.

The maximum classroom load for daytime education is set by the Federal State Educational Standard for each specialty separately.

Study load means:

lectures;
workshops;
control, laboratory work;
self-preparation;
colloquia;
production, undergraduate practice;
internship;
consultations;
all types of research work;
course design and other types of classes established by the university.

Therefore, a 54-hour study load does not mean that with a five-day week there should be 10.4 academic hours of lectures, that is, approximately 5 pairs per day. Universities set the maximum weekly volume of classroom training on their own, but usually at the hospitals of institutes and universities it is about 27 hours a week.

When does the school year start and end

Classes in all universities usually begin on September 1 and end according to the educational plan of each specialty. During the period of study, vacations are provided, the total duration of which is not less than seven weeks, two of them fall in the winter. The dates for the start of training may be postponed by the management of the institution for no more than sixty days.

Academic (training) hour - a period of time (usually 40-45 minutes long) for classes in educational institutions, as well as a measure of the volume of material planned for study during this time.

The academic hour is used in the preparation of the academic calendar when planning and recording the progress educational material by weeks, as well as when taking into account the work of teachers in universities, institutions of primary, secondary and secondary vocational education.

In universities

Until 2014, the size of an academic hour in Russian universities was established by the charter of the university, but was limited to 45-50 minutes, and now any university has the right to set the duration of the hour by local documents.

In addition, it is allowed to use not academic, but astronomical clocks.

"Pair"

In Russian universities, classroom classes traditionally take place in the form of two combined academic hours, which have the colloquial name "training couple" ("couple"). This concept has not been legally established.

In other countries

Universities and colleges outside of Russia and the CIS (Germany, Sweden, Poland, etc.) have a tradition of dividing one 60-minute study hour into two parts:

a 15-minute break after the previous lesson called the “academic quarter” (English academic quarter, German Akademisches Viertel, Swedish akademisk kvart, Polish kwadrans akademicki).
the actual lecture or seminar is 45 minutes long, so it corresponds to the Russian concept of an academic hour;

The abbreviation c is used to designate "academic quarter". t. (lat. cum tempore - "over time"). Thus, for example, 9:00 c. t. in the timetable means that the class actually starts at 9:15. In the case of an exact indication of time, the abbreviation s is used. t. (lat. sine tempore - "without time"). For example, 9:00 s. t. means that the class starts exactly at 9:00.

Also, in many universities, classes take place either in the form of "blocks" of 90 minutes (sometimes according to the system: 45 minutes plus a break of 5-15 minutes, plus the remaining 45 minutes), or periods of 50 or 75 minutes.

In Russian realities, the concept of "academic quarter" has been transformed into the concept of "academic lateness" of 15 minutes.

in colleges

For all types of classroom studies in secondary educational institutions (colleges, technical schools, lyceums, vocational schools, etc.), the academic hour is set to 45 minutes, and the volume of classes is not more than 36 academic hours per week.

School

In accordance with sanitary standards the duration of the academic hour in schools is:

For first grade lessons:
- September-October - 3 lessons per day, 35 minutes each;
- November-December - 4 lessons of 35 minutes each;
- January-May - 4 lessons of 45 minutes each;
In other classes - no more than 45 minutes (clause 10.9).

In kindergartens

For preschool organizations, the duration of continuous direct educational activities in a day:

for children from 3 to 4 years old - no more than 15 minutes;
for children from 4 to 5 years - no more than 20 minutes;
for children from 5 to 6 years - no more than 25 minutes.

Educational activities can be carried out in the afternoon after a nap.

Now we cannot imagine our life without clocks: wristwatches, telephones, wall clocks at home, on buildings; mechanical, electronic. It's hard to imagine what would have happened if they suddenly disappeared?! It seems they have always been and that now they are the most, the most ...
What if we look at history?
The first clocks were created by nature itself: the daily alternation of day and night, the movement of the Sun across the sky, the phases of the Moon. For our distant ancestors, these natural "clocks" were enough for a long time. But everything flows, everything changes.
When celestial bodies began to gradually lose their dominant role in measuring time, the situation turned in the opposite direction: now watchmakers for many centuries began to try to display their movement across the sky on the dials of complex and not very complex mechanisms. Knowledge of astronomical phenomena, mainly the change of phases of the moon, in ancient times was of great practical importance in agriculture and navigation, as well as for the calendar of religious events, largely oriented to the alternation of lunar months. Don't forget astrology. Probably, thanks to all this, astronomical functions did not disappear from watch dials.
And, perhaps, the inhabitants of Ancient Greece were more technically advanced and somehow looked at this whole world in a different way, trying to study and tame it. This is confirmed by the Antikythera Mechanism.

The Antikythera Mechanism has been dated from 150 to 100 BC. This is an ancient mechanical calculating machine for calculating astronomical positions. The device was discovered in 1902 among the remains of a sunken ancient ship near the island of Antikythera (between Crete and Kitera). Currently kept in the Greek National archaeological museum in Athens, in the form of a large number of fragments of bronze gears, which are supposed to be located in wooden case.

The Antikythera mechanism consists of 32 bronze gears and several dials with arrows. Dimensions of the device: height - 33 cm, width - 17 cm, depth - 9 cm. appearance looks like a clock. The mechanism uses a differential gear, which, as previously thought, was invented no earlier than the 16th century. The complexity of the mechanism is comparable to mechanical clocks of the 18th century. On the outside The device has two disks responsible for the calendar and the signs of the Zodiac. Using disks, you can find out the exact date and study the position of the zodiac constellations relative to the Sun, Moon and five planets known in antiquity - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. On the reverse side of the Antikythera mechanism are also two disks that allow you to calculate the lunar phases and predict solar eclipses. The mechanism is able to take into account the ellipticity of the lunar orbit. Research has proven that the mechanical device found at the bottom of the sea is not just a clock, but a complex calculating machine that can perform addition, subtraction and division operations. At the moment, it is not known whether the Antikythera mechanism was a single product or similar devices were available to many. A similar technology is not found over the next thousand years of the development of civilization.
A similar mechanism is described in the work of Ivan Efremov "Thais of Athens" along with a calendar appointment. Also featured in the short story "The Fix" by Alistair Reynolds.

So the prototype of the future astronomical clock turned out to be not a primitive mechanism.

Nowadays, for an ordinary person, all these subtleties are not needed, but it is interesting to look at the astronomical clock that has come down to us, which has become an architectural and cultural landmark. There are a great many of them on different continents and in different countries but I'll tell you about the ones I've seen. All of them are in Europe and everyone has probably seen them and can expand their list.
I'll start with the astronomical clock that I saw in the Czech Republic, in Olomouc.

The astronomical clock is located in a niche of the northern wall of the town hall in the form of a pointed arch 14 m high. According to one version, watchmaker Antonin Pohl from Silesia received an order for its manufacture from the Olomouc Council. He made them in 1422 based on his dream. As the legend says, in a dream an angel came to the master and showed a clock in a niche in the wall of the town hall - future work Fuck.
Another version speaks of the creation of the clock in 1474. These disputes have been going on for a long time, because. there is no specific written confirmation of the date of their installation. The first written records - the works of the poet Stefan of Taurin - date back to 1519.
The Olomouc astronomical clock was created in the style of the oldest astronomical clock in Strasbourg (France). A similar clock in the Czech Republic is only in Prague, they have a mechanism that sets in motion a number of figurines.
Even the legend about the fate of their creator is the same. According to her, upon completion of the work, the master was blinded by order of the city council so that he could not do the same in other cities.
The clock has been repeatedly repaired, they have been changed externally, incl. adding new figurines. The oldest watch parts that have survived to this day date back to 1898, when the watch was equipped with a planetary dial. The most valuable is its baroque style, created in 1747 by Jan Christoph Handke.
After the declaration of independence of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918, the town hall clock was slightly changed. At that time, everything that was connected with the German past was eradicated. Before that, the majority of Germans lived in Olomouc, and the clock was considered a German heritage, so all German names were replaced with it, and the figure personifying God was replaced with an allegory of Moravia.

In May 1945, during the liberation of the city from the Nazis, the clock was damaged. The damage mainly affected the facade: the clock mechanism, dials, and figurines generally survived.
After the war, the era of socialism began in the Czech Republic and the new authorities decided that the former imperial style was not relevant and during the restoration it was replaced with the corresponding style of socialist realism. The design was entrusted to Karl Slavinsky, who used the technique of decorating with mosaics.

The entire niche of the lancet arch was covered with mosaics, the upper part of which was decorated with scenes of folk festivals. Below them are located on the sides of 3 arches for moving figures and six dials (two large in the center - one under one) and two on each side of them). In addition to time, on the dials you can determine the sign of the zodiac, phases, moons, consider the location of the planets, day of the week, month. It also contains the dates of religious and proletarian holidays, biographical dates of famous figures of the socialist era. Figurines depicting various professions were made of wood by the wife of Karl Slavinsky Maria. Between the arches for the figurines there is a gilded figurine of a rooster. Previously, this place was a figurine of an angel.

Below, on the sides of large dials, on a mosaic canvas, two figures are depicted - a worker and a scientist (chemist), with a flask in hand, in which, presumably by color blue vitriol, not otherwise, symbolizes high technology and the people's intelligentsia.

The side and upper part of the niche is decorated with mosaic medallions - allegories on the theme of 12 months, which depict people of the profession that best suits this or that month of the year.

At noon, a small performance begins - to the musical accompaniment, the clock figures begin to move, which always attracts tourists.

Another astronomical clock ("Orloj") is located in Prague.
The history of these watches began in 1410. This beautiful symbol of Prague was created by Jan Schindel, a professor of mathematics and astronomy at the University, and Mikulas, a watchmaker from Kadany. The clock was placed on the south side of the city hall.
A hundred years later, the clock stopped for the first time. They were repaired by another watchmaker - Ganush z Ruzhe. In addition to repairs, Ganush modernized the chiming mechanism. And he improved them so much that the city authorities were afraid that a talented master could make a new watch in another city and ordered to blind him. In retaliation, the watchmaker decided to stop the chimes. The legend of the blinding of the Prague watchmaker was invented by the Czech writer and historian Alois Jirasek. No one knows if it really happened, but most of the inhabitants of Prague believe it.
The Twelve Apostles appeared in 1659. The clock periodically stopped or went wrong, so in 1865 the mechanism was dismantled, and Romuald Bozek made a chronometer, which still controls the clock. This chronometer, which is almost 200 years old, is only half a minute behind in a week. In 1866, the astronomical clock started working again and continued to run until May 5, 1945, when the town hall tower was destroyed by the Germans. The tower and the clock were restored in two years. The figurines of the apostles burned down and in 1948 the wood carver Vojtěch Suchard made copies.

The creators of the clock managed to put into their device a lot of information about celestial mechanics known by that time. On the outer dial, the time of day is marked, on the smaller inner disk, the position of the constellations of the Zodiac. In the center of the dial is the Earth, around which the Sun revolves.
Every hour a skeleton - a symbol of death - begins a procession of figures. With one hand he pulls the bell string, and with the other he raises the hourglass. The strike of the clock is accompanied by the procession of the apostles in small windows at the top of the chimes, which open at the beginning of the procession and close after it ends. The procession ends with a loud cry of a rooster flapping its wings in a niche above the windows. This is followed by the sound of a clock striking every hour of the day. The figures of the apostles and the rooster are complemented by the image of the Turk on the side of the chimes. The Turk shakes his head as a sign of unwillingness to abandon his aggressive policy (a reminder of the Turkish invasion of Central Europe in the 16th-17th centuries). Two figures on the left side of the chimes are allegories of human stinginess and vanity. Every hour everything is repeated from the beginning. Saints that appear in the window:

Left window: Saint Paul with a book; St. Andrew with a cross in the shape of the letter X; Saint Thaddeus with the board with which he was killed; Saint Thomas with a spear; Saint John with a cup; Saint Barnabas with parchment and a stone in his hand (was stoned to death).
Right window: Saint Peter with keys; Saint Matthew with the ax with which he was killed; Saint Philip with a T-shaped cross; Saint Bartholomew with a knife with which he was skinned; Saint Simon with the saw with which he was cut; Saint James with a staff. This peculiar performance has been shown with short breaks for more than 600 years.
Another astronomical clock is located in France in Lyon in the Cathedral of Saint-Jean (St. John the Baptist).

The cathedral took 300 years to build from 1180 to 1480. Since then, its appearance has not changed much. In 1600, King Henry IV, after a divorce from Queen Margot, decided to marry Marie de Medici, their meeting was scheduled in Lyon, midway between Florence and Paris. The bride and groom liked each other and the king ordered them to be married immediately in this very cathedral. It really has nothing to do with the clock.

The astronomical clock located in the cathedral is the oldest in France.

They trace their history back to the 14th century. After being destroyed by the Huguenots, they were restored from 1572 to 1600. They acquired their Baroque appearance in 1655. In the 18th century, a minute dial with an arrow appeared on them. Despite numerous repairs and alterations, the clock contains some iron parts smelted at the end of the 16th century. Show hours, minutes, date, position of the Moon and Sun relative to the Earth, as well as the rising of the most bright stars over Lyon. The clock also shows religious holidays up to 2019.

The figurines upstairs, angels and saints, play a little pantomime four times a day. At the beginning of the pantomime, a rooster jumps out of the clock and crows three times. Crowing is also not simple, but holy, because it symbolizes the Good News. One of the angels plays the hymn on the bells. Then the Virgin Mary herself appears, and a swallow flies to her, while the archangel Gabriel approaches her through the open door in the clock. God - the cause of all this commotion - sits at the top and releases three blessings. This is where the pantomime ends - until next time. Unfortunately, I myself did not see this "performance", since we were there early in the morning, but I looked at the recording.
In the center of Venice, on Piazza San Marco, there is a clock tower or, as it is also called, the Tower of the Moors, which is one of the most famous monuments of the city.

The tower's astronomical clock is a masterpiece by the mechanics Giampaolo and Giancarlo Ranieri (1499). The clock shows the seasons, hours, lunar phases and the transition of the Sun from one constellation to another. Above the arch is a clock face made of blue enamel and gold. The dial is divided into 24 hours, and the indicators for noon (XII) and midnight (XXIIII; this spelling was adopted) are located on the horizontal axis. In the niche above the clock is a statue of the Virgin. Even higher is the Venetian winged lion. The first time the clock was restored in 1757, the last restoration was carried out in 2006. The clock is equipped with an additional mechanism, which, according to tradition, is launched on Epiphany (the arrival of the Magi): the clock carousel spins, and the traditional Christmas figurines and figurines of the Magi leave.

Particular attention is drawn to the bronze figurines in the costumes of shepherds at the very top of the clock tower - the Venetian Moors, named so for their Brown color. Every hour they strike a huge bell with sticks, but not at the moment when the minute hand passes the number 12. All are much more symbolic. One of the shepherds - the one with the beard - is old, the other is young. The old man symbolizes the past - he strikes the bell five minutes before the next hour. The young man personifies the future and rings at the sixth minute of the new hour.

There are such interesting astronomical clocks. Some of them are more complex, others less, but all of them are a work of art and a triumph of the technical thought of mankind.

Now each of us has a clock at home, an ordinary clock with the help of which we plan and calculate our life. But where did it start? Why and who began to calculate precious time. I present to your attention the most incredible, amazing Astronomical clock in the world.

Many believe that ancient people saw the universe differently: every flash of lightning, every star in the sky, the rain that fell at their feet - everything around them was part of something huge, incomprehensible and very strange. But one day it all changed. The Greeks, along with their intellectual ancestors, looked at the world and while they saw life, they also began to see the mechanism to it all, the precision and regularity. Perhaps the inhabitants of Ancient Greece were more technically advanced and somehow looked at this whole world differently, trying to study and tame it. For example, the Ancient Greeks were the first to understand that the Earth is round and revolves around the Sun. The Christian Church recognized this point of view only a thousand years later. But let's not digress our article about watches.
Perhaps the first such mechanism is Antikythera mechanism(The Antikythera Device)

The Antikythera Mechanism has been dated from 150 to 100 BC. This is an ancient mechanical analog computer for calculating astronomical positions. The device was discovered in 1902 among the remains of a sunken ancient ship near the island of Antikythera (between Crete and Kitera). It is currently kept in the Greek National Archaeological Museum in Athens, in the form of a large number of fragments of bronze gears, which are supposed to have been located in a wooden case.
Fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism

The Antikythera mechanism consists of 32 bronze gears and several dials with arrows. Dimensions of the device: height - 33 cm, width - 17 cm, depth - 9 cm. The Antikythera mechanism looks like a clock. The mechanism uses a differential gear, which, as previously thought, was invented no earlier than the 16th century. The complexity of the mechanism is comparable to mechanical clocks of the 18th century. On the outer side of the device there are two discs responsible for the calendar and signs of the Zodiac. Using disks, you can find out the exact date and study the position of the zodiac constellations relative to the Sun, Moon and five planets known in antiquity - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The reverse side of the Antikythera mechanism also has two disks that allow you to calculate the lunar phases and predict solar eclipses. The mechanism is able to take into account the ellipticity of the lunar orbit. The Antikythera mechanism can also perform addition, subtraction, and division operations. At the moment, it is not known whether the Antikythera mechanism was a single product or whether similar devices were available to many.

Antikythera mechanism (reconstruction)

Research has proven that the Antikythera mechanical device found at the bottom of the sea is not just a clock, but a complex calculating machine with which ancient Greek astronomers could accurately predict solar eclipses and the movements of the five then known planets. The device was found among the remains of an ancient Roman ship that was carrying goods from the Greek island of Rhodes. The mechanism has at least 30 hand-made wheels. Links to planets, lunar and solar eclipses were found on the device. A similar technology is not found over the next thousand years of the development of civilization.

All instructions for the mechanism are written in Greek; Surprising details about this artifact are still being revealed - for example, the various disks at the end of the Antikythera Gear include one dedicated to the four-year Olympiad Cycle. sports games v ancient greece!

One of the more incredible astronomical clocks is the legendary Prague Astronomical Clock. To say it's difficult would be a ridiculous understatement. The clock is an insanely complex instrument, designed not only to tell the time but also to track the movements of the stars and planets.

Beautiful Astronomical Clock in Prague

The history of these watches began in 1410. This beautiful symbol of Prague was created by Jan Schindel, a professor of mathematics and astronomy at the University, and Mikulas, a watchmaker from Kadany. This monument of the past survived many catastrophes and wars. Survived the flood, reconstructed after the Second World War. In 1490 Orloi (the second name of the astronomical clock) was repaired by the Charles University astronomer Ganush from Rosa. The Twelve Apostles appeared in 1659. But after a fire in 1945, the figurines burned down, and in 1948 the woodcarver Vojtech Suchard made copies. In 1866, the idea of creating a calendar board appeared. The Czech artist Josef Manesu became its implementer. The amazing action takes place from 9 to 21 pm every hour. The skeleton pulls the rope, the ringing sounds, the apostles come out in turn, as well as figures depicting human vices, at the end a rooster crows, reminding of the beginning of a new hour. Prague's astronomical clock has stopped only twice in its history.

The creators of the clock managed to put into their device a lot of information about celestial mechanics known by that time. On the outer dial, the time of day is marked, on the smaller inner disk, the position of the constellations of the Zodiac. In the center of the dial is the Earth, around which the Sun revolves, which is a reflection of the revolutionary perception of the world with the central position of the Earth. Every hour, under the ringing of the bell of the old woman-death, an amazing performance takes place in the window openings above the clock. Figurines that are incarnations human vices and such dominants human life, like death or retribution for sins, begin to move: the skeleton pulls the bell rope, the angel raises and lowers the punishing sword. In the windows of the clock, the faces of the apostles replace each other, and in the finale the rooster crows. The figure of the Turk recalls the danger that the Ottoman Empire posed to the Habsburgs for centuries.

Wales Cathedral Astronomical Clock

Another beautiful example astronomical clock design is the famous Wells Cathedral Clock. Created a few years before the Prague Clock, the clock is accurate and it is a celestial mechanism. Like its Prague family, the clock is beautiful as well as an accurate representation of the world as a huge clockwork machine - carefully assembled, meticulously crafted by its creator.

Unfortunately, the growing omnipresence of these watches' technology has spelled their doom. As more and more people could afford watches there was less and less need for the huge, central and naturally expensive to build city clock. It just didn't make financial sense to keep building them.

This is the Astrological Clock of the Augustinian Friar, 1679.. In the Clock Museum in Vienna

The incredible device of the Antikythera Mechanism, the Cathedral of Prague and Wells tells the time, beautifully in their ancient, amazingly accurate mechanisms created many years ago by people who tried to unravel the mystery of time and the universe. Putting your whole soul into this mechanism.

Astronomical Clock in the Hampton Palace of Justice, London, UK (1540):

The Astronomical Clock Simmertoren on the Zimmer Tower in Lier, Belgium and the Astronomical Clock of Strasbourg Cathedral:

Lund Cathedral Astronomical Clock, 1424:

Lyon Cathedral Astronomical Clock:

Cathedral Saint-Pierre de Beauvais also boasts a giant astronomical clock. Created by Auguste-Lucien Verit in 1865-8. They contain 90,000 parts, 68 statutes and 52 disks:

Cathedral Münster, Germany. The pride of the cathedral is the astronomical clock, assembled by a minor monk at the beginning of the 16th century and still functioning.

Published: October 3, 2011 at 09:00

The concept of "astronomical clock" is one of those that are used extremely freely. Indeed, any watch that shows astronomical data, including time, can be classified as astronomical. Also, they can show the position of the Sun, the Moon, its phase and give other information. Some may show the current zodiac sign or even a rotating map of the stars in the sky. Let's start with perhaps the most famous representative of the astronomical clock, the Prague Astronomical Clock, which is also known as the Prague Eagle.

To say that this clock is astronomical is to say a common truth. Other words that can describe them are sophistication and grace. The first and perhaps most remarkable fact is that they were completed and began their work in 1410, almost 80 years before Columbus's famous voyage to the shores of America.

The first thing that catches your eye is the dial in the center of the watch, showing the positions of the Moon and the Sun. Spectators are also attracted by the moving figures of the apostles and other sculptures that emerge from the clock every hour. On the dial are medallions with the months of the year.

It is said that the inhabitants of Prague took good care of the clock, perhaps this can explain its excellent condition. Over the years, the clock has been restored several times. During the Prague uprising against the Nazis in 1945, a significant part of the clock was damaged in a fire in the town square. It took many years of excruciatingly complex restoration work before the watch became what we see it today.

Lund, Sweden

This clock is located in the Cathedral of Lund in Sweden. It is generally accepted that they were built and launched in 1424, a little later than the Prague Astronomical Clock. However, it was a significant achievement.

They are fully called Horologium mirabile Lundense, and they also needed restoration in order to function smoothly. To this end, in 1827 the clock was stopped and moved from the cathedral. It took almost a hundred years to return them to their rightful place.

Twice a day, a small organ in the clock plays music, and when it sounds, the three wise men with their servants pass by the figures of Jesus and Mary. On the photo you can see how it happens. The spirit freezes at the mere thought that such a mechanism was created in the 15th century.

Two knights on top measure each hour, and the astronomical part of the clock, among other things, shows the phases of the moon. In the lower third is the calendar. According to it, our medieval ancestors learned about the onset of religious holidays. This is possible today. The calendar should change every hundred years, the one that is now expires in 2123. After all, some calendars don't end in 2012.

Strasbourg, France

For centuries, at least three astronomical clocks were located in the Strasbourg Cathedral. The first ones were installed in 1352 and went on for almost two centuries, until in 1547 they were replaced by more advanced ones. The second clock stopped in 1788. The third, which are in the cathedral today, were installed in 1838. They became the embodiment of all the ambitious plans of their creator. Now, if every house had a clock that would have to be changed only twice in 6 hundred years.

Jean Baptiste Schwilgue set about installing the clock we can see today in 1838. He himself was born in 1766 and since childhood dreamed of creating a new clock for the cathedral.

It took him almost 50 years to realize this dream - a lifetime, but that's how long the master studied mechanics, mathematics and watchmaking in order to realize a grandiose plan.

Before starting work, it took him and his team of 30 assistants a year to prepare and think about the plan. But all the work paid off in full, and in less than 5 years the work on the watch was completed. The grand opening and launch of the clock into operation took place in 1842.

Astronomical clock in Olomouc (Czech Republic)

Of course, when this clock was created in 1420, the Czech Republic did not exist. The city was the ancient capital of Moravia (sounds like the name of the heroine of the television series "Dynasty"). An amazing clock is installed on the main city square. Over time, they were rebuilt several times, and now their reconstruction takes place once a century.

V last days During the Second World War in 1945, retreating under the pressure of the Russian army, the fascist troops ended up in Olomouc. In a fit of desperation and irritability, they opened fire on the clock and largely destroyed it - the remnants can be seen in the local museum. In the late 1940s, Czechoslovakia was under the influence former USSR. Of course, the reconstruction of the watch took place with due care and attention. However, the religious and royal figurines that once adorned the watch have been replaced. They were replaced by athletes and workers - representatives of the Soviet ideals of that time.

From afar, the clock looks ancient, as its history suggests. But it is worth getting closer and you can see the figures that remind us of the Soviet regime. In the lower part of the mosaic scenery, representatives of various working classes are depicted.

Astronomical clock in the cathedral of the British city of Wells

So far, we have considered clocks that are either inside or outside the building. One day in the 14th century good people from the city of Wells, in the west of England, they decided that they would build both. Their astronomical clock is located in the cathedral and rises above it.

The clock face inside the cathedral represents a model of the universe (or at least its blueprint). The sun moves in a circle, in the background are the stars. On the 24-hour analog dial, the hands make two circles from one to twelve per day. Great design developed centuries ago.

The clock is also arranged, which are located outside, so that the inhabitants of the city do not have to enter the place of worship in order to find out the exact time.

Astronomical clock in Bern, Switzerland

Although Switzerland is more famous for its clock with a particular bird that lays its eggs in other nests, Bern's most recognizable landmark is the Zytglogge clock tower.

The tower itself was built in the thirteenth century, and in the fifteenth century an astronomical clock appeared on it. The dial is in the shape of an astrolabe, which used to be an instrument for determining the position of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars. Knowing the latitude, you can determine the local time - and vice versa.

The dial itself is beautifully painted. Like all other watches in our collection, it has undergone significant renovation over the centuries. Switzerland did not take part in any of the major European conflicts of the twentieth century, however, time has its own rules.

Due to the fact that due attention was paid to the clock, it has been preserved in perfect condition. If you are not sure what the meaning of each part is, perhaps this photo will help you.

Cremona, Italy

Whether or not this clock is better preserved is debatable, but the fact is that it is the largest astronomical clock in the world. And they are in Cremona, in Italy. In addition, they are located on the second largest red brick bell tower in the world. The tower itself dates from the early thirteenth century, but proud locals often boast that its construction began in the eighth. It is true that thanks to her, archaeologists have discovered more ancient Roman ruins.

The clock itself was built by father and son Francesco and Giovanni Battista di Vizioli. Usually for many astronomical clocks they show the zodiacal constellations with the Sun breaking through them.

So, we have talked about some of the most remarkable astronomical clocks in the world. We apologize if we missed your favorite watch. If there are, please let us know in the comments section below.