A DIY guide to building a Foucault pendulum at home using simple materials: a heavy weight (mushroom anchor), fishing line, a swivel, and an eye hook in the ceiling. The key technique for a clean release is burning a thread to avoid imparting sideways force. The expected rotation rate depends on latitude — at 33° north, roughly 8.17 degrees per hour. Measurement is done by recording with a camera and analyzing frames in Photoshop, though small pendulums are sensitive to errors. Museum versions use larger pendulums, ultra-low-friction pivots, and electromagnets to sustain motion.
13 Impressions