Astronomy:Comet seeker
A comet seeker is a type of small telescope adapted especially to searching for comets: commonly of short focal length and large aperture, in order to secure the greatest brilliancy of light.[1] This style of telescope was used to discover the asteroid 9 Metis in 1848.
- Design
A comet seeker telescope is a type of optical device that is known for having a short focal length but a wide field of view.[2]
- Examples
A comet seeker with about 3.9 inch aperture was installed at the United States Naval Observatory in 1843, and later transferred to the Smithsonian Museum in 1866.[2] It had an aperture of 4 inches (10.2 cm) and was made by Utzschneider & Fraunhofer in Munich.[3] This was operated as part of suite of several other instruments including a larger refractor on an equatorial mounting, a meridian transit, mural circle, etc.[3]
Markree Observatory added a 3-inch aperture Comet Seeker on an equatorial mount by Ertel.[4] It was ordered in 1842, and in place until 1874.[4]
The Markree Comet Seeker was used to discover 9 Metis in April 1848.[5] It was discovered by Edward Cooper's assistant Andrew Graham, who worked at that observatory until 1860.[4][5] Graham also observed and sketched the Orion nebula with this Ertel Comet seeker.[5]
An 8.6-centimetre (3.4 in) aperture Comet Seeker was used, with some customizations, to produce the Bonner Durchmusterung star catalog from Bonn Observatory, in the 19th century.[6]
In 1866 a Comet Seeker telescope of 18 centimetres (7.1 in) aperture by Martin was acquired by the Marseille Observatory in France.[7]
See also
- List of telescope types
- List of largest optical telescopes in the 19th century
- Lists of comets
References
- ↑
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). "Comet-seeker". Encyclopædia Britannica. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 763.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Utzschneider & Fraunhofer, Merz & Mahler Refracting Telescope (Comet Seeker)" (in en). https://www.si.edu/object/nmah_1183753.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 (in en) The General History of Astronomy. Cambridge University Press. 1900. ISBN 9780521242561. https://books.google.com/books?id=qrRz-sXyXJYC&pg=PA125.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Doberck, William (1884). "Markree Observatory". The Observatory 7 (91): 329–332. Bibcode: 1884Obs.....7..329D.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Steinicke, Wolfgang (2010-08-19) (in en). Observing and Cataloguing Nebulae and Star Clusters: From Herschel to Dreyer's New General Catalogue. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139490108. https://books.google.com/books?id=wyWjVWYWoO8C&pg=PA138.
- ↑ Howard-Duff, I. (1987). "Joseph Fraunhofer (1787-1826)". Journal of the British Astronomical Association 97 (6): 339. Bibcode: 1987JBAA...97..339H.
- ↑ Lequeux, James (2013-03-15) (in en). Le Verrier—Magnificent and Detestable Astronomer. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9781461455653. https://books.google.com/books?id=cWBDAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA121.
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