The Practical Astronomer: Comprising illustrations of light and colours--practical descriptions of all kinds of telescopes--the use of the equatorial-transit--circular, and other astronomical instruments, a particular account of the Earl of Rosse's large telescopes, and other topics connected with astronomyDick, Thomas
Science
The Practical Astronomer: Comprising illustrations of light and colours--practical descriptions of all kinds of telescopes--the use of the equatorial-transit--circular, and other astronomical instruments, a particular account of the Earl of Rosse's large telescopes, and other topics connected with astronomy
Dick, Thomas
Astronomical instruments; Astronomy; Telescopes
The Photogenic art, in its progress, will doubtless be productive of
many highly interesting and beneficial effects. It affords us the power
of representing, by an accurate and rapid process, all the grand and
beautiful objects connected with our globe--the landscapes peculiar
to every country--the lofty ranges of mountains which distinguish
Alpine regions--the noble edifices which art has reared--the monumental
remains of antiquity--and every other object which it would be
interesting for human beings to contemplate; so that in the course
of time, the general scenery of our world, in its prominent parts,
might be exhibited to almost every eye. The commission of the French
Chambers, when referring to this art, has the following remark, ‘To
copy the millions upon millions of hieroglyphics which cover even
the exterior of the great monuments of Thebes and Memphis, of Carnac,
&c., would require scores of years and legions of designers. By the
assistance of the Daguerreotype, a single man could finish that immense
work.’--This instrument lays down objects, which the visual organs
of man would overlook, or might be unable to perceive, with the same
minuteness and nicety, that it delineates the most prominent features
of a landscape. The time-stained excrescences on a tree, the blades
of grass, the leaf of a rose, the neglected weed, the moss on the
summit of a lofty tower, and similar objects, are traced with the same
accuracy as the larger objects in the surrounding scene.
It is not improbable, likewise, that this art (still in its
infancy) when it approximates to perfection, may enable us to take
representations of the sublime objects in the heavens. The sun affords
sufficient light for this purpose; and there appears no insurmountable
obstacle in taking, in this way, a highly magnified picture of that
luminary, which shall be capable of being again magnified by a powerful
microscope. It is by no means improbable, from experiments that have
hitherto been made, that we may obtain an accurate delineation of
the lunar world from the moon herself. The plated disks prepared by
Daguerre receive impressions from the action of the lunar rays to such
an extent as permits the hope that photographic charts of the moon
may soon be obtained; and, if so, they will excel in accuracy all the
delineations of this orb that have hitherto been obtained; and if they
should bear a microscopic power, objects may be perceived on the lunar
surface which have hitherto been invisible. Nor is it impossible that
the planets Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, may be delineated in
this way, and objects discovered which cannot be descried by means of
the telescope. It might perhaps be considered as beyond the bounds of
probability to expect that even distant _Nebulæ_, might thus be fixed,
and a delineation of their objects produced which shall be capable of
being magnified by microscopes. But we ought to consider that the art
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account