Overview
- A definitive source of the Meudon telescope's history, written by a renowned astronomer
- The book is notable for the comprehensive documentation and attention to detail, tracing the genesis and construction of the telescope
- All works in the book have been theses and dissertations published by many prestigious, and sometimes lesser known, researchers
Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library (ASSL, volume 398)
Access this book
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Other ways to access
Table of contents (10 chapters)
-
Front Matter
-
The Largest Refractor in Europe
-
Front Matter
-
-
Observations and Discoveries
-
Front Matter
-
-
Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
Â
At Meudon, which became the Mecca of visual observation, the major planets were examined in a way that no other telescope had previously been able to. The telescope monitored the state of their atmospheres and mapped the appearance of their surfaces. Through the telescope, one could obtain photographs showing the nuclei of comets, revealing their very small size, and by using an eyepiece one could measure the separation of double stars. With a marvellous little instrument, the polarimeter, the nature of clouds in planetary atmospheres has been determined, and the type of surface material identified. Many more results were obtained, while photography, universally adopted, revolutionized other knowledge about the world. The sensitive emulsion, combined with large aperture reflecting telescopes, revealed the deepness and richness of the cosmos. The vast telescope of Meudon, which was the largest refracting telescope in Europe, became a legendary instrument and was symbolic of a new way to practice astronomy.
Â
Audouin Dollfus, a renowned astronomer, describes the great years of the Meudon telescope. He gives us the entire story of this instrument, from the birth of the concept that drove Jules Janssen at the end of the nineteenth century, to the idea that French astronomy could provide an outstanding telescope which would approach the limits of technical and industrial resources. The telescope remained unchanged until 2006, when the first steps toward restoration and public reopening were taken.
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Great Refractor of Meudon Observatory
Authors: Audouin Dollfus
Series Title: Astrophysics and Space Science Library
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7288-9
Publisher: Springer New York, NY
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4614-7287-2Published: 15 May 2013
Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4899-8930-7Published: 15 June 2015
eBook ISBN: 978-1-4614-7288-9Published: 14 May 2013
Series ISSN: 0067-0057
Series E-ISSN: 2214-7985
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIII, 150
Additional Information: Translation from French
Topics: Astronomy, Observations and Techniques, History and Philosophical Foundations of Physics