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White enamel glass mirror and box, by William Herschel

1780-1800

Circular glass mirror (10 1/2-inch)

1950

Circular quartz planar mirror (5-inch)

1960-1970

Silvered and platinized glass (Foucault)

1857-1868

Circular glass mirror (4 1/2-inch)

1934

Silvered glass telescope mirror of diameter 9 1/2 in

1880-1900

Circular Glass Mirror, Silver and Platinised, by Leon Foucault, 1857-1868

1857-1868

Primary speculum mirror of 13 1/4-inch diameter

1840-1850

Speculum Mirror (dia. 5 3/4-inch) for Gregorian telescope in wooden box

1750-1850

Circular glass mirror (5 1/2-inch)

1930-1939

Primary metal speculum mirror with central hole

1840-1850

Glass disc for telescope mirror

1840-1870

Circular glass mirror (80 mm)

1960-1970

Glass wedge mirror aluminised on the hypotenuse surface

1960-1970

Four primary metal speculum metal mirrors, three of 4 1/2- inch diameter and one of 8 5/8 inch mirror with central circular hole. Donated by Lieutent General A, de Gorloff who lived at Nasmyth's former home of Hammerfield near Penshurst in Kent. Four similar mirrors were originally donated but one was returned to be replaced by the larger one [see file for details].

Four primary metal speculum metal mirrors

1840-1850

Silvered and platinized glass (Foucault) in small wooden box

1857-1868

Specimens showing results of a process, for polishing marbles etc, invented by A. Gath of Rome about the year 1825, and applied to reflectors for astronomical purposes: a) Reflector of Nero Antico b) Piece of sililian jasper agate c) Piece of green granite Erbetta d) Similar piece polished according to the old process by Frattoddi e) Disc of eleven agates as used for polishing a small reflector

Specimens showing results of a process

1825

Gold-plated grazing - incidence paraboloidal mirror for X-ray astronomy

1975-1980

Circular glass mirror (6-inch), aluminium coated with marked focal ratio of f1.

Circular glass mirror (6-inch)

1960-1970

Collection of 15 aluminium coated glass or quartz mirrors from the spectrograph used at the coude focus of the 35-Metre Solar Telescope built in 1955 at the University Observatory, Oxford, unsigned, 1960-1970.

Collection of 15 aluminium coated glass or quartz mirrors

1960-1970

The first 48-inch speculum mirror cast with metal cover by Sir William Herschel in 1785 for his 'Forty Foot' telescope at Slough, England.

Original mirror for William Herschel's forty-foot telescope, 1785.

1785

Six and a half inch glass mirror in original brass cell, with close fitting tin cap with handle cell 1 1/16" deep outside, exact focal length 7ft 1.75 in, "D" painted on cell and lid

Six and a half inch glass mirror in original brass cell

1780-1820

One of 41 bromide prints related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope at Mount Wilson, California. This view shows the mirror at the early grinding stage in the optical workshop.

Grinding & polishing machine for the Hooker Telescope mirror, 1910-16

1916-1918

One of 41 bromide prints related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope at Mount Wilson, California. This view shows the mirror being polished and given its final figure in the optical workshop.

Bromide print related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope

1916-1918

One of 41 bromide prints related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope at Mount Wilson, California. This view shows the un-silvered mirror raised into the vertical for testing in the optical workshop.

Bromide print related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope

1916-1918

One of 41 bromide prints related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope at Mount Wilson, California. This view shows the mirror support cell for the telescope arriving at the Observatory on a lorry.

Bromide print related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope

1916-1918

One of 41 bromide prints related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope at Mount Wilson, California. This view shows the mirror cell with its upper section removed revealing the support mechanism and the water pipes for temperature regulation.

Bromide print related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope

1916-1918

Silver-on-glass mirror of 9-inch aperture by G.H.With, plus driving clock from Canon Cross's equatorial Newtonian telescope (RAS No.141). Presented to the Royal Astronomical Society in 1900 by Mrs Cross.

Silver-on-glass mirror of 9-inch aperture by G.H.With

1865-1890

Optical parts of Lassell's telescope:- prism for 9-in reflector in green cardboard box; 3 multiple eyepieces; 5 small eyepieces; plane speculum on arm for 9-in; speculum for Newtonian finder in tin case 4 eyepices; 4 diaphragms (3 in two tin cases and one in wood case with metal lid)

Optical parts of Lassell's telescope:- prism for 9-in reflector in green cardboard box

1840-1850

Experimental speculum of 6 inches aperture and 24 inches focal distance, cracked across and bound together with string

Experimental speculum of 6 inches aperture and 24 inches focal distance

1840-1870

One of 41 bromide prints related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope at Mount Wilson, California. This view shows the completed mirror in it support cell ready to be lift into position on the telescope.

Bromide print related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope

1916-1918

One of 41 bromide prints related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope at Mount Wilson, California. This view shows the completed mirror being lift into position onto the support mechanism of the mirror cell.

Bromide print related to and showing various stages in the construction of the Hooker 100-inch reflecting telescope

1916-1918

Experimental compound speculum mirror of 2 feet diameter, made by the 3rd Earl of Rosse. The 9 segments of speculum metal, are held in an alloy of copper and zinc.

Experimental compound speculum mirror of 2 feet diameter

1840-1845

Nine inch mirror of speculum metal (exact diam" 8 15/16 in) in tin cell with close fitting cover 9 1/2" diam, 1 1/2" deep, focal length 10' 1", cell and cover each painted " J"

Nine inch mirror of speculum metal (exact diam" 8 15/16 in) in tin cell with close fitting cover 9 1/2" diam

1780-1820

Optical parts of Lassell's telescope:- prism for 9-in reflector in green cardboard box; 3 multiple eyepieces; 5 small eyepieces; speculum for Newtonian finder in tin case 4 eyepices; 4 diaphragms (3 in two tin cases and one in wood case with metal lid)

Optical parts of Lassell's telescope

1840-1850