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
Oxford Heliometer, with observer's desk, chair and stool
- maker:
- Johann Georg Repsold ,
- Georg Repsold ,
- Georg Merz ,
- Adolf Repsold ,
- G Merz and
- G and S Merz
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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.
Parts
Objective lens for the 7 1/2-inch Heliometer, with wooden case
Objective lens for the 7 1/2-inch Heliometer by Repsold, with wooden case
- Measurements:
-
overall: 80 x 260 x 250 mm
- Object Number:
- 1935-6 Pt2
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.
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.
- Object Number:
- 1935-6 Pt4
- type:
- instrument component and 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.
- Object Number:
- 1935-6 Pt5
- type:
- components and observer's chairs
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.
- Object Number:
- 1935-6 Pt6
- type:
- components and observer's chairs
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, 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, 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, previously hung from Heliometer built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg.
- Object Number:
- 1935-6/10
- type:
- guiding rod
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, 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 built by A. & G. Repsold of Hamburg
- Object Number:
- 1935-6/13
- type:
- components
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
