From a polar viewpoint, an armillary appears like an asterisk, a star-shaped radial inside of a Round. But as the shadows reveal, there are interlocking rings that represent the orbits of the known planets and moons around the sun. Like many things, the invention of the armillary sphere has a murky history, some crediting Greek philosopher Anaximander of Miletus, others credit Greek astronomer Hipparchus, and the first in China made by astronomer Zhang Heng in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Whatever… will it bring you some solace and look good on your desk?

02.28.24