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Instrument spinning a laboratory animal in astronomical experiment (9)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

balalaika

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'instrument' is the definition.
(type of stringed instrument)

'spinning a laboratory animal in astronomical experiment' is the wordplay.
'spinning' says the letters should be written backwards.
'laboratory' becomes 'lab' (synonyms).
'animal in astronomical experiment' becomes 'laika' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'a'+'lab'='alab'
'alab' reversed gives 'bala'.
'bala'+'laika'='BALALAIKA'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for balalaika that I've seen before include "Three-stringed instrument used to play Russian folk music" , "Three-stringed, triangularbodied Russian instrument" , "Instrument with three strings and a triangular body" , "Stringed instrument used for Russian folk music" , "Russian "guitar"" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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