Horology, a Child of Astronomy

Book excerpt: Horology, A Child of Astronomy, a publication from the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie, lifts the veil on the mysteries of astronomy and considers its relation to the measurement of time. It follows the study of the movements of the Sun, Earth, Moon and the Universe to guide the reader towards a closer understanding of the astronomical complications of today's timepieces. The wristwatch carries on a fabulous human adventure, and continues to fascinate admirers of finely-crafted timepieces in its perpetual and annual calendars, age and phases of the moon, equation of time, and other complexities. Reproductions of ancient documents alongside photographs of timekeeping instruments such as sundials, clocks, pocket watches and wristwatches with astronomical functions illustrate the text, which also includes explanations of the Nebra sky disc, the Antikythera mechanism, and the Prague astronomical clock. A comprehensive glossary provides terms of interest to anyone curious about astronomical timekeeping.