Observation by Alex Pratt: 12-inch Grubb refractor at Dunsink Obser...

Uploaded by

Alex Pratt

Observer

Alex Pratt

Observed

2018 Sep 15 - 16:00

Uploaded

2018 Sep 17 - 22:24

Objects

Observatory
Historical

Equipment

Canon DSLR 24mm lens

Location

Dunsink Observatory, Dublin

Target name

12-inch Grubb refractor at Dunsink Observatory

Title

12-inch Grubb refractor at Dunsink Observatory

About this image

I was very pleased that the NEMETODE Workshop was held at Dunsink Observatory, Ireland (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies). The dome houses an historic Grubb 12-inch refractor whose object glass had been purchased by Sir James South in 1829 and was donated to Trinity College, Dublin in 1863.

This large flint glass lens was crafted by the French master optician Robert Aglaé Cauchoix (1776-1845) whose work is the subject of a recent paper by Françoise Launey in The Antiquarian Astronomer, the Journal of the Society for the History of Astronomy (Issue 12, June 2018).

The 303mm f/19.7 achromatic objective (clear aperture 297mm) is on an equatorial mount by Grubb and is in great demand during public viewing of the Moon and planets.

Files associated with this observation

Dunsink Cauchoix South Grubb refractor.jpg (734.2 kB)

Like this image

Nick James, Mr Leonard Entwisle, David Basey, Jeremy Shears, Callum Potter, Denis Buczynski, Mr Michael Alan Frost, Peter Carson, Andy Wilson, Mike Foylan, Peter Mulligan

Comments

Nick James, 2018 Sep 17 - 22:39 UTC

It was great to see that telescope at the weekend. The Cauchoix OG was at the centre of the great battle between South and Troughton documented, entertainingly, here and was about the only thing left after South smashed Troughton's mounting and sold the bits for scrap. The poster annoucing the sale is a classic.

Alex Pratt, 2018 Sep 17 - 23:54 UTC

Thanks Nick. I had read a little about South smashing up Troughton's mount. Thankfully Cauchoix's objective survived all that debacle!

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