Jens Olsen's World Clock
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Jens Olsen's World Clock or Verdensur is an advanced
astronomical clock An astronomical clock, horologium, or orloj is a clock with special mechanisms and dials to display astronomical information, such as the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, zodiacal constellations, and sometimes major planets. Definition ...
which is displayed in
Copenhagen City Hall Copenhagen City Hall ( da, Københavns Rådhus) is the headquarters of the Copenhagen City Council as well as the Lord mayor of the Copenhagen Municipality, Denmark. The building is situated on City Hall Square in central Copenhagen. Architect ...
. The clock was designed and calculated by Jens Olsen (1872–1945), who was a skilled locksmith, and later learned the trade of
clockmaking A clockmaker is an artisan who makes and/or repairs clocks. Since almost all clocks are now factory-made, most modern clockmakers only repair clocks. Modern clockmakers may be employed by jewellers, antique shops, and places devoted strictly t ...
. He also took part in the beginning of the clock's construction, and died in 1945, 10 years before the clock was completed. The clock consists of 12 movements which together have 15,448 parts. The clock is mechanical and must be wound once a week. Displays include lunar and solar eclipses, positions of the stellar bodies, and a perpetual calendar, in addition to the time. The fastest gear completes a revolution every ten seconds and the slowest every 25,753 years. The calculations for the clock were made up until 1928, after which they were supervised by the astronomer Elis Strömgren. The drawings for the clock were made between 1934 and 1936, and the actual production of the clock took place from 1943 until 1955. The clock was started on 15 December 1955 by King Frederick IX and Jens Olsen's youngest grandchild Birgit.


See also

*
Clock of the Long Now The Clock of the Long Now, also called the 10,000-year clock, is a mechanical clock under construction that is designed to keep time for 10,000 years. It is being built by the Long Now Foundation. A two-meter prototype is on display at the Sci ...
*
Rasmus Sørnes Rasmus Jonassen Sørnes (22 March 1893 – 15 February 1967), was a Norwegian inventor, clockmaker and radio technician, and is most famous for his advanced astronomical clocks, the most precise of which has an inaccuracy of 7 seconds during 1000 ...


Further reading

* Otto Mortensen ''Jens Olsen's Clock: A Technical Description'' Technological Institute, Copenhagen, 1957.


References


External links


The Story of the Astronomical Clock

Description of Jens Olsen's World Clock
Archive.org (Danish) {{Astronomical clocks Astronomical clocks Time in astronomy Clocks in Denmark Tourist attractions in Copenhagen Buildings and structures completed in 1955 Individual clocks 1955 establishments in Denmark