The Powerhouse acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the ancestral homelands upon which our museums are situated. We respect their Elders, past, present and future and recognise their continuous connection to Country.

The Solar System

View Objects
This collection set has been designed for those studying the Solar System. Our fascination with the Sun, Moon and planets stretches back to ancient civilisations and spans many cultures. This set includes cultural, technological and historical objects from the Museum collection, as well as objects on loan from NASA and Roswell Museum and Art Center, USA, and can be used as a starting point for further research.

2013/23/12-98 Photographic positive, Sydney Observatory, silver gelatin / paper, photographer unknown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1893-1920
Photograph of Sydney Observatory
A44 'Strasburg Clock' model and parts, wood / paint / metal / paper, made by Richard Bartholomew Smith, Australia, 1887-1889
'Strasburg Clock' model by Richard Bartholomew Smith
1887-1889
97/2/8 Model spacecraft, Venera-4, 1:2 scale, metal / wood / plastic, made at the Exhibition Centre at the Soviet Academy of Sciences, USSR, possibly 1967-1984
Scale model of Venera-4 spacecraft
On display
L2106-3/1 [WEB APPROVED] Rocket motor, liquid fuelled combustion chamber, steel / aluminium wrapped tubes with insulation, included in flight of Dec 26 1928, Robert H Goddard, USA, 1928 (Roswell Acc No: 1958-28-12)
Rocket motor on loan from Roswell Museum and Art Center, USA
1928
On display
H10401 Time ball, with cylinder, piston, rack and pinion lifting mechanism, safety lock, electric motor and ball, cast iron, some modifications to the original, installed at Sydney Observatory, made by Maudslay, Sons & Field, England, c 1857
Time ball at Sydney Observatory
1858
H1700-2 Orrery (1 of 2), planetary, wood / brass / ivory, W.Harris & Co, London, England, 1789-c.1805
Planetary orrery by W Harris & Co
1789-c. 1805
On display
97/2/1 Satellite, replica, Sputnik-1, metal, Exhibition Centre, USSR/Russian Academy of Sciences, [1957-1984]
Replica of the Sputnik-1 satellite
pre 1985
H9898 Atomic clock time signal system, metal / plastic / glass, used at Sydney Observatory, made by Hewlett Packard / Yaesu / B.W.D / Laboratory Electronics, made in USA / Japan / Australia, 1970-83
Atomic clock used at the Sydney Observatory
On display
2010/1/90 Meccano model of an orrery, metal / plastic / glass / electronic material, made by Meccano Ltd, Liverpool, England. 1960-1975
Meccano model of an orrery
1960-1975
A6964 Human figure, Mars, soft paste porcelain, William Duesbury and Co, Derby, England. c. 1760
'Mars' porcelain figure made by William Duesbury & Co
c. 1760
On display
Image unavailable
Bronze figure of Surya
1500-1700
H9886 Telescope with accessories, 11.4 inch equatorial refracting telescope, brass / glass / metal / rubber / textile, by Hugo Schroeder, Hamburg, Germany, 1874, used at Sydney Observatory, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1874-present
Equatorial refracting telescope with accessories by Hugo Schroeder
1874
On display
97/2/4 Spacecraft, model, Mars-3, metal, wood, plastic, Exhibition Centre, USSR/Russian Academy of Sciences, [1957-1984]
Model of Mars-3 spacecraft
pre 1985
P3548-817 Photographic glass plate positive, Moon, Sydney Observatory, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 23 July [1890]
Glass plate positive image of the Moon
96/47/1 Statuette, Nefertum, bronze, Egypt, Saite, 26th Dynasty, 664-525 BCE
'Nefertem' statuette
664-525BC
2005/124/1-35 Photograph, part of collection owned by James Short, black and white, four images of Jupiter, mounted, card / paper, photographer unknown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1906
Photograph of four images of Jupiter
1906
86/60 Orrery with stand and winding rod, brass / ivory / timber, France, 1851-1877
Orrery and stand from France
1851-1877
H10273 Magic lantern single rackwork glass slides (8), showing various astronomical events and cycles, wood / glass / metal, made by Dollond, London, England, 1758-1856, used at Sydney Observatory, New South Wales, Australia, 1858-1900
Magic lantern slides demonstrating astronomical events and cycles
1750-1850
P3549-70 Photographic print, silver gelatin, of Comet Swift, paper / silver gelatin emulsion, photographed by James Short and H. C. Russell, used by Sydney Observatory, New South Wales, Australia, 22 March 1892
Photographic print of Comet Swift taken at Sydney Observatory
1892