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
In the above table, the first column expresses the focal length of
the object-glass in feet; the second column, the diameter of the
aperture[20] of the object-glass, the third column, the focal distance
of the eye-glass, and the fourth, the magnifying power, which is found
by reducing the feet in the first column to inches, and dividing by the
numbers in the third column. From this table it appears that, in order
to obtain a magnifying power of 168 times, by this kind of telescope,
it is requisite to have an object-glass of 70 feet focal distance,
and an eye-glass five inches focus, and that the aperture of the
object-glass ought not to be more than about 4-1/2 inches diameter. To
obtain a power of 220 times requires a length of 120 feet.
The following is a summary view of the properties of this telescope. 1.
The object is always inverted. 2. The magnifying power is always in the
proportion of the focal distance of the object-glass to the eye-glass.
3. As the rays emerging from the eye-glass, should be rendered parallel
for every eye, there is a small sliding tube next the eye, which should
be pushed out or in till the object appears distinct. When objects
are pretty near, this tube requires to be pulled out a little. These
circumstances require to be attended to in all telescopes. 4. The
apparent magnitude of an object is the same wherever the eye be placed,
but the visible area, or field of view, is the greatest when the eye
is nearly at the focal distance of the eye-glass. 5. The visual angle
depends on the breadth of the eye-glass; for it is equal to the angle
which the eye-glass subtends at the object-glass; but the breadth of
the eye-glass cannot be increased beyond a certain limit, without
producing colouring and distortion.
If the general principles on which this telescope is constructed
be thoroughly understood, it will be quite easy for the reader to
understand the construction of all the other kinds of telescopes,
whether refracting or reflecting. A small astronomical telescope can be
constructed in a few moments, provided one has at hand the following
lenses:--1. A common reading-glass, eight or ten inches focal distance;
2. A common magnifying lens, such as watchmakers or botanists use, of
about 1-1/2 or 2 inches focus. Hold the reading-glass--suppose of ten
inches focus--in the left hand opposite any object, and the magnifying
lens of two inches focus, in the right hand near the eye, at twelve
inches distance from the other in a direct line, and a telescope is
formed which magnifies five times. I have frequently used this plan,
when travelling, when no other telescope was at hand.
SECT. 3.--THE AERIAL TELESCOPE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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