What Is It? 9/10/22
A engraved plate on the base indicates it is a gift from the class of 1966, but what is this object on the terrace in front of Old Main on the University Park Campus of Penn State? Many visitors believe it is a sundial of some type, even though they do not know how to read it. And, why is it sitting on the back of a turtle?
A University's web site on class gifts* indicates it is an armillary sphere - a 17th century astronomical device with hoops that shows the great circles of the heavens, including the horizon, meridian, Equator, tropic and polar circles, and an ecliptic path. Said another way, the sphere is a skeleton celestial globe, that can be used to locate celestial objects (e.g., the planets) in relation to Earth. The sphere is mounted on the back of a turtle as depicted in the Greek myth about Atlas, the god that held the earth and placed it on the back of a turtle when he grew tired. Though no longer used today as a celestial globe, it is an impressive historical item.
There also is a sundial nearby on the lawn. It was a gift from the class of 1915. Unfortunately, someone broke off the Gnomon (the blade that creates a shadow used to mark the time).
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