The head of the first tower telescope is shown in Fig. 94.[16] A is the
cœlostat mirror proper 17 inches in diameter and 12 inches thick, B
the secondary mirror 12¾ inches in the shorter axis of the ellipse,
22¼ inches in the longer, and also 12 inches thick. C is the 12
inch objective of 60 ft. focus, and D the focussing gear worked by a
steel ribbon from below.
[16] Contributions from the Solar Obs. #23, Hale, which should be seen
for details.
[Illustration: FIG. 94.—Head of 60-inch Tower Telescope.]
This instrument being for solar research the mirrors are arranged for
convenient working with the sun fairly low on either horizon where the
definition is at its best, and can be shifted accordingly, to the same
end as in the Snow telescope. There is also provision for shifting the
objective laterally at a uniform rate from below, to provide for the
use of the apparatus as spectro-heliograph.
The tower is of the windmill type and proved to be fairly steady
in spite of its height, high winds being rare on Mt. Wilson. The
great thickness of the mirrors in the effort to escape distortion
deserves notice. They actually proved to be too thick to give thermal
conductivity sufficient to prevent distortion.
[Illustration: FIG. 95.—Porter’s Polar Reflector.]
In the later 150′ tower telescope the mirrors are relatively less
thick, and a very interesting modification has been introduced in
the tower, in that it consists of a lattice member for member within
another exterior lattice, so that the open structure is retained, while
each member that supports the optical parts is shielded from the wind
and sudden temperature change by its corresponding outer sheath.
Still another form of mounting to give the observer access to a fixed
eyepiece under shelter is found in the ingenious polar reflector by
Mr. Russell W. Porter of which an example with main mirror of 16
inches diameter and 15 ft. 6 inches focal length was erected by him
a few years ago. Fig. 95 is entirely descriptive of the arrangement
which from Mr. Porter’s account seems to have worked extremely well.
The chief difficulty encountered was condensation of moisture on the
mirrors, which in some climates is very difficult to prevent.
[Illustration: FIG. 96.—Diagram of Hartness Turret Telescope.]
It is interesting to note that Mr. Porter’s first plan was to use the
instrument as a Herschelian with its focus thrown below the siderostat
at _F′_, but the tilting of the mirror, which was worked at F/11.6,
produced excessive astigmatism of the images, and the plan was
abandoned in favor of the Newtonian form shown in the figure. At F/25
or thereabouts the earlier scheme would probably have succeeded well.
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