is remarkable for the level of miniaturization and complexity of its
parts, which is comparable to that of 18th century clocks. It has over 30
gears, although some have suggested as many as 70 gears, with teeth formed
through equilateral triangles. When past or future dates were entered via a
crank (now lost), the mechanism calculated the position of the Sun, Moon or
other astronomical information such as the location of other planets. It is
possible that the mechanism is based on
heliocentric
principles, rather than the then-dominant geocentric view espoused by
Aristotle and others.