The Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland has launched a large outdoor exhibition which accurately depicts the solar system, in order to make astronomy more accessible to the public.

Called the Human Orrery, the observatory claims that it is the first mathematically accurate model of the solar system and has been constructed with support from the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.

The dynamic model shows the positions, relative orbits and distances of the planets in our solar system around the Sun.

The first orrery was invented 300 years ago by the Engish clockmaker and inventor George Graham. The name orerry has since been used for any device designed to show planetary motions.

The Armagh orrery unveiled on 26 November is the first major addition to the observatory grounds and astropark for more than 10 years.

Observatory director, Mark Bailey, said: “The Human Orrery is a great way to explain the earth’s position in space. You can look at the positions of the sun, planets and other objects on the ground and immediately work out which objects are visible tonight – or at any other time – and where they will appear in the sky relative to one another.” Details: http://star.arm.ac.uk