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
[Illustration: _figure 69._]
By the same apparatus, it is also rendered capable of being moved
either in a vertical or horizontal direction: but when it is once
adjusted to its proper position, it must be firmly fixed, and requires
no further attention. The eye-piece represented in this figure is the
one used for terrestrial objects, which consists of the tubes belonging
to a pocket achromatic telescope. When an astronomical eye-piece is
used, the length of the instrument extends only to the point I. In
looking through this telescope, the right eye is applied at the point
H, and the observer’s head is understood to be uncovered, or, at
least, tightly covered with a thin cap. For those who use only the
left eye, the arm would require to be placed on the opposite side of
the tube, or the arm, along with the tube, be made to turn round 180
degrees.
[Illustration: _figure 70._]
Fig. 70 represents a front, or rather an oblique view of the
instrument, in which the position of the speculum may be seen. All the
specula which I fitted up in this form, having been originally intended
for Gregorian reflectors, have holes in their centres. The eye-piece
is therefore directed to a point nearly equi-distant from the hole to
the left hand edge of the speculum, that is, to the point _a_. In one
of these instruments fitted up with a four feet speculum, the line
of vision is directed to the point _b_ on the opposite side of the
speculum, but, in this case, the eye-tube is removed farther from the
arm, than in the former case. The hole in the centre of the speculum is
obviously a defect in this construction of a reflecting telescope, as
it prevents us from obtaining the full advantage of the rays which fall
near the centre of the mirror; yet the performance of the instruments,
even with this disadvantage, is superior to what we should previously
have been led to expect.
The principal nicety in the construction of this instrument, consists
in the adjustment and proper direction of the eye-tube. There is only
one position in which vision will be perfectly distinct. It must be
neither too high nor too low,--it must be fixed at a certain distance
from the arm,--and must be directed to a certain point of the speculum.
This position must be ultimately determined by experiment, when viewing
terrestrial objects. A person unacquainted with this construction
of the telescope, would, perhaps, find it difficult, in the first
instance, to make this adjustment; but were it at any time deranged,
through accident or otherwise, I can easily make the adjustment anew,
in the course of a minute or two.
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