Foucault pendulum is already oscillating in UzhNU (PHOTOS)

In Uzhgorod National University, they are finishing to assemble a technological wonder – the Foucault pendulum.

Thus, Uzhgorod university will be the third in Ukraine that can boast such a great device.

Foucault’s Pendulum exemplifies the Earth’s rotation, and – philosophers say – reminds of the passage of time.

As stated in Wikipedia, Foucault’s Pendulum is a device used to demonstrate the Earth’s rotation around its axis. The inventor of the device was Jean Foucault. The first demonstration of the Foucault’s pendulum took place in Paris in 1851. However, nowadays right oscillation and demonstration of the rotation of the Earth in the pendulum is ensured not only by physics, but also by electronics.

Vitaly Vasyutinsky, an engineer of UzhNU, who supervises installation works, says, "It has an interesting design of the rope, it is two-component. The inside part is twisted to one side, and the outer part – to the other, to prevent it from extending and kinking. And the ball is made of brass and weighs 45 kilograms."

In Ukraine, such pendulums are only in Kyiv – in the Polytechnic Institute – and in Kharkiv University. In Russia, there is a Foucault’s pendulum in St. Petersburg, St. Isaac’s Cathedral. In Europe, there are more – Foucault’s pendulums oscillate in Vilnius, in the church of St. John, and in the Sentry Tower in Magdeburg. And, for 5 years, a Foucault’a pendulum has decorated the university in the sister city of Uzhgorod – Hungarian Miskolc. This is where the rector of UzhNU Fedir Vashchuk saw Foucault’s pendulum and decided to put one in the UzhNU.

Vice-Rector of UzhNU Yuri Peresta says: "Transportation, installation, the technology itself, the manufacture of the special kernel – the budget for this project is approximately one and a half million hryvnias. Not a penny from the budget has been spent, it is a gift from our friends at the Miskolc University. Our specialists made the ball and some devices, and the system is electronic, it starts, controls and determines the rhythm of the Foucault’s pendulum presented by the Miskolc University in Hungary."

As you know, besides restructuring of the faculties, in UzhNU they are also actively renovating the buildings. The Foucault’s Pendulum, they say, will be a center piece in the design of the refurbished lobby of the main university building. The representatives of UzhNU say that the vestibule will also have a new cafeteria, benches, Wi-Fi network, so that students can prepare for classes and just relax and chat around the Foucault’s pendulum.