Rosse Telescope Mirror
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| Rosse Telescope Mirror | |
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| Manufacturer | William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse |
| Production years | 1845 |
| Production location | Parsontown (Birr), Ireland |
The Rosse Telescope was the largest telescope in the world from its completion in 1845 to 1917. Built by William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, it was known as the ‘Leviathan of Parsontown,’ after its location at Birr Castle in Parsontown (now Birr), Ireland.
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[edit] History
This huge 1.8-meter, 2-ton mirror is from the original telescope. It is made of speculum, an alloy of approximately 2 parts copper to 1 part tin. While highly reflective, speculum tarnished easily, especially in the damp Irish climate, and required constant polishing to maintain its lustre. The telescope fell into disrepair after the death of the 4th Earl of Rosse in 1908 and this mirror was brought to the Science Museum in 1914.
The original telescope has since been restored in 1996 by the present 7th Earl of Rosse. Due to the fragility of the original mirror, a new replica was constructed by University College, London and shipped to the restored telescope in 1999. A model of the Rosse Telescope is also in the Science Museum’s collections.
[edit] How this instrument was used
The Rosse Telescope was able to see further into space than any other telescope for almost 75 years; among other discoveries, this telescope was the first to detect the spiral structure of some nebulae.
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[edit] Memories
In our ever-varying climate, when we employ high powers and large apertures, vision is impeded more or less by the unsteadiness of air; it is impeded also by haze; and in both respects the condition of the air varies immensely from night to night, and from hour to hour. The speculum also is not unifrom in its action. With such sudden alternations of temperature, in a moist climated, it is frequently dewed, and gradually tarnishes. Artificially heating it would be a remdy; but it would be an objectionable one, and we have not employed it. From all these causes we can scarcely say that any one object has been examined under a combinaltion of favourable circumstances...
— William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse
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[edit] In the Science Museum
Inv. number:1914-370
The mirror was acquired in 1914 from the 5th Earl of Rosse.
It was on display until recently, and is due to go on display again soon.