Thursday, November 11, 2010

Tuesday, November 02, 2010

Back To The Future is Back!

It's hard to believe that the movie that popularized the ultimate Time Machine for a new generation is itself now 25 years old. Here's some footage of the movie that has Eric Stoltz before Michael J. Fox was hired as the main character.

What Will Constellations Look Like in 50,000 Years?



From the Long Now Blog:

Discovery News has a feature in which astronomer Robert Hurt of NASA’s Spitzer Science Center uses space simulation software Starry Night to explain how Earth’s view of five major constellations will change over time, like Ursa Major.

10,000 Years of Stellar Motion



From the Long Now Blog:
10,000 Years of star motion Credit: NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STScI)
Apparently astronomers focused Hubble on a certain region of Globular Cluster Omega Cantauri several times over 4 years. They were then able to calculate how each of those stars will move in the next 10,000 years. You can see a video of this after the jump on their site here.

Monday, November 01, 2010

The Hermle Quartz Chiming Mechanism

One of the quality and trouble-free movements found in many of our clocks is the Quartz chiming mechanism by Hermle. These are excellent, accurate, and durable devices which are made in Germany and sound great too! The Hermle quartz movements are workhorses in the clock world, because they can provide premier sound and accuracy for many different kinds of clocks.

The mechanisms also provide lots of options for how and when the clock chimes. Here's a diagram of the version of the movement which includes a moving pendulum:



Setup instructions for this movement are very simple:

1. Insert batteries. Because of a special coating that Energizer brand batteries uses on their contacts which is not compatible with this devices contacts, it is best to use any other brand besides Energizer. Duracell or almost any other generic brand will work fine.

If your clock starts chiming erratically, or (if so equipped) the pendulum stops, please install new batteries.

2. If your clock has a moving pendulum, carefully remove the pendulum leader (see diagram) from the locking peg by sliding the bottom of the pendulum leader to the right - away from the peg. You will hear a snap, and then the pendulum leader should swing free. Attach your pendulum to the bottom of the leader once you have it free from the locking device.

3. Set the time using the knob at the back of the movement. Do not move the hour hand manually - this will cause your chimes to become unsynchronized.

The chime sequence at 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 hour is electronically programmed and cannot be demonstrated by moving the minute hand or the time set knob manually.

4. Set all of the other functions available to this movement.

Switch with symbols: O, A, B, and W

O = shut off (chime and strike both off)

W = Westminster Chime 4/4 melody plus full hour strike

B = Bim-Bam hour and half hour strike (W2114 and W2214)

A = Ave Maria 4/4 Chime with full hour strike (W2115 and W2215)

Night shut-off and night reduction
(Switch with Sun and Moon symbols)

"Sun" position. Clock will chime and strike during the full 24 hour period.

"No Moon" position. The clock will not chime for a period of 8 hours following the time you moved the switch to this position. For example: if you wish the chimes to be silent from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m., move the switch from to sometime between 10:45 and 11 p.m. The chimes will automatically become silent each day from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

"Moon" position. The chime sound will reduce by half of daytime volume for a period of 8 hours. Use the same setting procedure as for "No Moon".

Volume control
By turning the knob, the chime loudness can be a adjusted. Turning the knob clockwise reduces the volume.

Hour and Quarter-hour Chime selector
(Switch with symbols )

By setting the switch to the position and the melody switch to "W" the clock will chime the Westminster melody every 15 minutes and strike the hour after it plays the hour chime.

By setting the switch to the position and the melody switch to "W", the clock will chime the Westminster melody on the hour only, followed by the hour strike.

By setting the switch to the position and the melody switch to "B" the clock with movement W2114 or W2214 will strike Bim-Bam every hour and half hour.

By setting the switch to the position and the melody switch to "B" the clock with movement W2114 or W2214 will strike Bim-Bam every hour.

By setting the switch to the position and the melody switch to "A" the clock with movement W2115 or W2215 will chime the Ave Maria melody every 15 minutes and strike the hour after it plays the hour chime.

By setting the switch to the position and the melody switch to "A", the clock with movement W2115 or W2215 will chime the Ave Maria melody on the hour only, followed by the hour strike.

These instructions apply to all of the following models:
Movement W2114: Westminster or Bim-Bam, no pendulum
Movement W2115: Westminster or Ave Maria, no pendulum
Movement W2214: Westminster or Bim-Bam, with pendulum
Movement W2215: Westminster or Ave Maria, with pendulum