Lunar photograph taken with the Kew Photoheliograph

One of four diapositive photographs in passe partout frame showing the Moon, originals taken by Warren De La Rue using the Kew photoheliograph.

Photographic glass slide, taken around 1858-1862, shows the half-phase of the Moon at first quarter. The picture taken by Warren De La Rue (1815-1889), a pioneer of astrophotography, was obtained using his 13-inch reflecting telescope at his observatory at Cranford, Middlesex. This was a difficult task, as the then available wet collodion plates were insensitive to light compared to modern films. This required exposures of several minutes through his telescope using a clock-driven equatorial mounting.