Oxford Heliometer, with observer's desk, chair and stool

Oxford Heliometer, with observer's desk, chair and stool

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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg with a 7 1/2 inch object lens by Merz of Munich. Ordered in 1840 and delivered to the Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, in 1848 where it was used for stellar parallax observations. Includes observer's desk, chair and stool.

Completed in 1848, this heliometer was made by A & G Repsold, Hamburg and installed in the Radcliffe Observatory at Oxford. It was the first and only large example of this sort of instrument to be used in England. The heliometer is a split-lens micrometer originally developed for accurately measuring the angular diameter of the Sun. The instrument was later adapted to make precise measurement of star positions. It was used to detect the tiny shifts in nearby stars due to parallax as the Earth orbits the Sun. In 1838, the German astronomer Friedrich Bessel was able to make the first accurate parallax measurements and hence calculate the distance to the nearby star of 61 Cygni.

Details

Category:
Astronomy
Object Number:
1935-6
Materials:
steel, brass, glass and complete
Measurements:
overall (estimate): 4000 x 2450 x 2600 mm
type:
heliometer
credit:
Trustees of Dr. John Radcliffe

Parts

Box for spilt-lens micrometer for 7 1/2-inch Heliometer

Box for spilt-lens micrometer for 7 1/2-inch Heliometer

Box for the spilt-lens micrometer for the 7 1/2-inch Heliometer by Repsold, 1848

Materials:
wood
Object Number:
1935-6 Pt1
type:
instrument case
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Page of German newspaper, found in Heliometer objective lens case

Page of German newspaper, found in Heliometer objective lens case

Sheet from a German newspaper printed in the 19th century, found in the woodern case for the objective lens for the 7 1/2-inch Heliometer by Repsold, Munich.

Materials:
paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
1935-6 Pt3
type:
components and newspapers
Heliometer with 7 1/2 inch object lens, built for Radcliffe Observatory

Heliometer with 7 1/2 inch object lens, built for Radcliffe Observatory

Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg with a 7 1/2 inch object lens by Merz of Munich. Ordered in 1840 and delivered to the Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, in 1848 where it was used for stellar parallax observations.

Materials:
steel , brass , glass and complete
Object Number:
1935-6 Pt4
type:
instrument component and heliometer
Observer's chair for Radcliffe Observatory Heliometer

Observer's chair for Radcliffe Observatory Heliometer

Observer's chair for Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg with a 7 1/2 inch object lens by Merz of Munich.

Materials:
wood , leather and complete
Object Number:
1935-6 Pt5
type:
components and observer's chairs
Observer's stool for Radcliffe Observatory Heliometer

Observer's stool for Radcliffe Observatory Heliometer

Observer's stool for Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg with a 7 1/2 inch object lens by Merz of Munich.

Materials:
wood , cloth and complete
Object Number:
1935-6 Pt6
type:
components and observer's chairs
Observer's desk for Radcliffe Observatory Heliometer

Observer's desk for Radcliffe Observatory Heliometer

Observer's desk for Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg with a 7 1/2 inch object lens by Merz of Munich.

Materials:
complete and wood (unidentified)
Object Number:
1935-6 Pt7
type:
components and observer's desks
Guiding rod from Oxford Heliometer

Guiding rod from Oxford Heliometer

Guiding rod, previously hung from Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg.

Object Number:
1935-6/8
type:
guiding rod
Guiding rod from Oxford Heliometer

Guiding rod from Oxford Heliometer

Guiding rod, previously hung from Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg.

Object Number:
1935-6/9
type:
guiding rod
Guiding rod from Oxford Heliometer

Guiding rod from Oxford Heliometer

Guiding rod, previously hung from Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg.

Object Number:
1935-6/10
type:
guiding rod
Guiding rods from Oxford Heliometer

Guiding rods from Oxford Heliometer

Five guiding rods, previously hung from Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg.

Object Number:
1935-6/11
type:
guiding rod
Guiding rod from Oxford Heliometer

Guiding rod from Oxford Heliometer

Guiding rod, previously hung from Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg.

Object Number:
1935-6/12
type:
guiding rod
Loose parts of Heliometer

Loose parts of Heliometer

Loose parts of Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg

Object Number:
1935-6/13
type:
components
Guiding rod from Oxford Heliometer

Guiding rod from Oxford Heliometer

Guiding rod, previously hung from Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg.

Object Number:
1935-6/14
type:
guiding rod
Oxford Heliometer, with observer's desk, chair and stool

Oxford Heliometer, with observer's desk, chair and stool

Bottom magnifying lens, eyepiece end, from heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg with a 7 1/2 inch object lens by Merz of Munich. Ordered in 1840 and delivered to the Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford, in 1848 where it was used for stellar parallax observations. Includes observer's desk, chair and stool.

More

Completed in 1848, this heliometer was made by A & G Repsold, Hamburg and installed in the Radcliffe Observatory at Oxford. It was the first and only large example of this sort of instrument to be used in England. The heliometer is a split-lens micrometer originally developed for accurately measuring the angular diameter of the Sun. The instrument was later adapted to make precise measurement of star positions. It was used to detect the tiny shifts in nearby stars due to parallax as the Earth orbits the Sun. In 1838, the German astronomer Friedrich Bessel was able to make the first accurate parallax measurements and hence calculate the distance to the nearby star of 61 Cygni.

Object Number:
1935-6/15
type:
heliometer