A fine French armillary sphere or decorative garden ornament of wrought iron featuring an arrow positioned in a globe mounted to a four-legged support stand. Dimensions: H 23 1/2 inches x W 20 inches x D 12 inches An armillary sphere is a model of objects in the sky (on the celestial sphere), consisting of a spherical framework of rings, centered on Earth or the Sun, that represent lines of celestial longitude and latitude and other astronomically important features, such as the ecliptic. The globe usually has three rings that help form the sphere - representing the Celestial Equator, the Meridian Circle, and the Horizontal Plane. The rod passing through the center, depicted as an arrow, acts as the gnomon and casts the shadow over the hours on the lower band.