"The $1.25 million sculpture represents the Earth and the moon at a scale of about 1 foot to 1,000 miles," the Richmond on the James says.

"The 29-ton Tarn granite globe Mary Morton Parsons Earth-Moon Sculpture — better known as the Grand Kugel (kugel is German for ball) — is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest floating-ball sculpture, thanks to a jet of water. Even little children can move the sculptures, which is a never-ending crowd pleaser for the little ones.

"The Earth is a solid granite ball almost 9 feet in diameter. A proportionately smaller moon is 250 feet from the Earth. It is 2.3 feet in diameter and weighs about 1,100 pounds. There is a brick path between the two, and it provides a great opportunity to demonstrate distances and proportional size."

"A kugel fountain (also called a floating sphere fountain or by the pleonasmic name kugel ball) is a water feature or sculpture where a sphere sits in a fitted hollow in a pedestal, and is supported by aquaplaning on a thin film of water. Pressurized water flows between the sphere and socket, creating a mechanical hydrostatic bearing that is nearly frictionless.

"The sphere can weigh thousands of kilograms, but the efficient bearing allows it to be spun by the force of a hand. The sphere does not float, being denser than water; it is often made from granite. The hydraulics of the fountain can be controlled so that the axis of rotation of the sphere changes continually. Ring sculptures that rotate on an axis are also built.

"Kugel fountains can be found all over the world. Many are at popular tourist destinations, such as science museums, shopping centers, lobbies, and gardens."   (Wikipedia)

"Whether one is young or old, weak or strong, the massive granite sphere known as the Grand Kugel (the largest construction of its kind in the world) can be spun or stopped with almost no effort thanks to a neat effect of science," the Atlas Obscura says.

"A kugel ball is comprised of a perfectly spherical stone ball that is set into a matching, perfectly concave cup. Water is then forced in from the bottom of the cup creating an evenly distributed, incredibly thin layer of water. The ball, no matter how heavy, can then be moved on the liquid surface as though it weighed nothing at all.

"A number of these floating stone spheres can be found around the globe; however the Grand Kugel, installed in 2003, is the largest of these sculptural science experiments in the world. Originally shaped out of South African granite, the ball is almost nine feet in diameter and weighs in at 29 tons."

"A Kugel ball (the one in Richmond is known as the Grand Kugel) has water spraying underneath it, just enough to lubricate the surface of the sphere, and just enough to let the giant stone ball move freely when we touch it," the Brady Carlson says.

"If the base of the structure is measured out and constructed just right, and the water is engineered just so, the Kugel ball can even rotate the same way Earth does.

"Structures like these are popular attractions at museums and other locations all over the world, and the science behind them is pretty fascinating."

"The world’s largest kugel by both diameter and weight is entitled Mary Morton Parsons Earth-Moon Sculpture and was unveiled 8 January 2003 at the Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond, USA," the Guinness World Records says.

"The earth globe is a single piece of South African black granite polished into a sphere that is 2.653 m (8 ft 8 in) in diameter. A kugel (from the German word for ball) is a perfectly balanced, polished stone sphere that fits into a socket (base) carved to the exact curvature of the ball.

"The kugel revolves 360 degrees in all directions and actually floats on a thin film of water. The globes of the earth and the moon float on water so that Museum visitors can turn them. Although the globe weighs 29 tons (29.3 tonnes) the kugel phenomena makes it light enough for a child to move it."

"The Grand Kugel is the world’s largest kugel ball, carved from black granite from South Africa. It’s an awe-inspiring sight. A South African artist crafted the large black granite sculpture over eight years. It’s an incredible work of art and is one of the most photographed sights in New York City. You can visit the attraction at 2500 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23220," the i-Rite says.

"The Grand Kugel is an 86-ton stone ball that spins on top of a pool of water. It’s the largest construction of its kind, and it was made for the Science Museum of Virginia. It was a cherished gift to the city of Richmond and remains a popular attraction for visitors.

"It’s the largest floating stone sphere in the world, and it’s 27 tons heavy. It’s also called the Mary Morton Parsons Earth-Moon Sculpture. The Grand Kugel was the world’s largest floating stone sphere, and is a tribute to the late Mary Morton Parsons. The benefactor of this sculpture, Mary Morton Parsons, also funded the construction of the Earth-Moon Sculpture."

"Tons of solid granite floating on a film of water create high-impact, low maintenance fountains for public spaces and private
gardens,indoors and out. Beautiful and interactive they're also technically fascinating something for everyone," the kugel.com says.

"Kusser Fountainworks represents the sophisticated fountain construction technology developed by Kusser Aicha Granitwerke, a leading European fountain company.This family owned business with almost one hundred years of history, which is in the hands of the third generation now employs about 120 people.

"In 1989 the first Kusser Fountain known as The Kugel (Floating Granite Sphere/Ball Fountain) was installed
in the United States."

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