Ugears Mechanical Tellurium

The idea of a space-themed model has been “floating in space” at Ugears for some time. Every time we announce a new model, hopeful Ugears fans ask, “Is it a planetarium?” From this shared desire, a project was born. Our mission: to spread knowledge of space and time by helping people visualize the movements of the planet we live on and the nearest satellite, the moon.

Ugears is proud to present the Mechanical Tellurium, an accurate wooden model representation of our corner of the universe. A tellurium (also spelled telluric, tellurium and sometimes called Lox cosmos) is an ingenious mechanism depicting the cosmic dance between sun, earth and moon. The reasons of day and night, the phases of the moon and the changing seasons are made clear through the movements of this 3D puzzle. A tellurium (from the Latin tellus, meaning “earth”) is related to the planetarium, which illustrates the relative positions and motions of the planets and moons in the solar system in a heliocentric model.

Build the enchanting wooden DIY model Tellurium, show it to your family and friends, and all will gain a better understanding of the sky, the seasons and the concept of time. Turn the lever to set the precisely calibrated gear system in motion. One turn of the lever = one rotation 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 transition from day to night. The Tellurium shows that the phases of the moon have to do with its position in relation to the sun and the earth. As it rotates, the moon rises and falls slightly, changing its orbit. The Tellurium charts the passing of the seasons, while also providing a beautiful graphic representation of the zodiac, with the sign and constellation under which you were born.

This 3D rendering of Earth’s movements and its interaction with nearby celestial bodies will appeal to anyone interested in space, astronomy, stargazing, or those who want to understand or teach to a child the fundamental natural phenomena that govern our lives: day/night , the seasons, the lunar cycle and the construction of time. The Tellurium is a great DIY project or gift idea for any hobbyist or novice astronomer.

Product dimensions: 40.5 x 26 x 30.5 cm
Package size: 37.8 x 17 x 3.4 cm
Number of parts: 249
Estimated assembly time: 5 hours