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
At the upper end the tube is open, and directed to the part of the
heavens intended for observation, and the observer, standing on the
foot board, looks down the tube, and perceives the object by rays
reflected from the speculum, through the eye glass at the opening
of the tube. When the telescope is directed to any objects near the
zenith, the observer is necessarily at an elevation at least 40 feet
from the ground. Near the place of the eye glass is the end of a tin
pipe, into which a mouth-piece may be placed, so that, during an
observation, a person may direct his voice into this pipe, while his
eye is at the glass. This pipe, which is 1-1/2 inch in diameter runs
down to the bottom of the tube, where it goes into a turning joint,
thence into a drawing tube, and out of this into another turning joint,
from whence it proceeds, by a set of sliding tubes towards the front of
the foundation timber. Its use is to convey the voice of the observer
to his assistants, for at the last place, it divides itself into two
branches, one going into the observatory, the other into the workman’s
room, ascending in both places through the floor, and terminates in
the usual shape of speaking trumpets. Though the voice passes in this
manner through a tube, with many inflections, and through not less than
115 feet, it requires very little exertion to be well understood.
To direct so unwieldy a body to any part of the heavens at pleasure,
many mechanical contrivances were evidently necessary. The whole
apparatus rests upon rollers, and care was previously taken of the
foundation in the ground. This consists of concentrical brick walls,
the outermost 42 feet, the innermost 21 feet in diameter, 2 feet 6
inches deep under ground, 2 feet 3 inches broad at the bottom, and 1
foot 2 inches at the top, capped with paving stones 3 inches thick, and
12-3/4 inches broad.
In the centre is a large post of oak, framed together with braces under
ground, and walled fast to brick-work to make it steady. Round this
centre the whole frame is moved horizontally by means of 20 rollers,
12 upon the outer, and 8 upon the inner wall. The vertical motion is
given to the instrument by means of ropes and pullies, passing over the
main beam supported by the ladders. These ladders are 49 feet long,
and there is a moveable gallery with 24 rollers to ease its motion.
There is a stair-case intended for persons who wish to ascend into the
gallery, without being obliged to go up the ladder. The ease with which
the horizontal and vertical motions may be communicated to the tube
may be conceived, from a remark of Sir W. Herschel, that, in the year
1789, he several times observed Saturn, two or three hours before and
after its meridian passage with one single person to continue, at his
directions, the necessary horizontal and vertical motions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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