Telescope Innovations of Isaac Newton

Posted 5/02/2006


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Table of Contents

Telescope Innovations of Isaac Newton

Telescope Innovations, Summary, Part-1

Telescope Innovations, Summary, Part-2

Development of the First Practical Reflecting Telescope

First Reflecting Telescope by Newton

Newton’s Telescope Shortened Telescopes Greatly, and Incorporated Many Innovations

Second Reflecting Telescope, Made Between 1668 and 1669, a Duplicate of the First, Presented to the Royal Society in 1671

Newton’s 2nd Reflecting Telescope Reproduced the Resolution of Far Longer Refractors and Won Him Membership in the Royal Society

Third Reflecting Telescope by Newton, Type-2 (Second Surface Mirrors)

Type-2 Newtonian Telescope, Second Surface Mirrors, Concentric Meniscus Glass Primary, Reflective Metal Coating (Hg), Right Angle Prism Secondary “Mirror” (Uncoated, TIR)

Fourth Reflecting Telescope by Newton, Type-2 (Second Surface Mirrors)

Super Polished Surface, What Makes It Different?

Super Polished Mirror Performance And Characteristics

The Super Polishing Process

Super Polishing Chronology, “Discovered” More Than Once, But Newton Was First

Limitations to Telescope Performance, Small Versus Large Telescopes, the Rationale for Mt. Top Observatories

Limitations to Telescope Performance

Chronology of Newton & His Times, 1642 to 1666

Chronology of Newton & His Times, 1666 to 1670

Chronology of Newton & His Times, 1671 to 1674

Chronology of Newton & His Times, 1682 to 1689

Chronology of Newton & His Times, 1689

Chronology of Newton and His Times, 1690 - 1696

Chronology of Newton and His Times, 1696 - 1699

Chronology of Newton and His Times, 1701 - 1727

References

Newton’s Telescope Innovations Continue to Benefit Today’s Astronomers

ADDENDUM: Updates After RTMC 2005

LARGE TELESCOPES MUST BE SHORT (Reference Isaac Newton in Opticks, 1704)

Abstract

Fini

Author: Gene Cross

Email: Contact SubArcSec Here We will be glad to forward any specific inquiries to the author, Gene Cross.

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Other information:
This presentation was written by Gene Cross and presented at the Riverside Telescope Maker's Conference in 2005. It has been graciously made available here on the SubArcSec Website courtesy of Gene. Thanks, Gene!