History of Telescopes

Rock art is ubiquitous around the world. The first solar interaction with rock art was
described in 1979 by Ken Hedges (Hudson, et al. 1979). Solar Markers are the most objective
interpretations of rock art for the following reasons: 1) We can see the sky the same as the
ancient cultures, 2) Precession does not affect the travel of the Sun along the horizon, 3)
The operation of solar marker interactions operate the same today as when originally
created, and 4) The recorded astronomical knowledge is usually the most closely guarded
information, which the solar marker opens that knowledge to us today.
The interplay of sun and shadow on rock art, known as “solar markers” is reported in very
few areas of the world, with most being reported in the American Southwest. The lack of
reports worldwide is due in part to a lack of understanding and how to identify these solar
markers. To that end, the Houston Solar Marker Matrix (HSMM) is offered as a tool for
researchers to: 1) Help identify new solar markers, 2) Confirm existing solar markers, 3)
Rule out coincidental interactions, and 4) lead to a worldwide database of solar markers.
There are four qualifying restrictions that must be met by any reported interaction,
before proceeding to evaluate an interaction using the HSMM. The restrictions are: 1)
The solar interaction must touch and interact with the glyph, 2) The interaction must be
brief, typically less than 30 minutes, 3) The culmination of the interaction must be unique,
both in the design of the sun or shadow shape, and must interact with the focal point or
tangent of the glyph, or some very unique part of the glyph, and 4) The solar interaction
must interact with one glyph at a time. These are established to help rule out coincidental
interactions and help eliminate false positives.
The Houston Solar Marker Matrix provides and analytical tool in which four categories
are scored. The final score determines the strength of an existing or reported solar marker
or identification of a new solar marker. The four categories are 1) Solar Points, 2) Time
of Day, 2) Interactive Characteristics, and 4) Supporting evidence. The HSMM is a tool that
will be employed by researchers, who in turn, will bring forward new reports worldwide,
so a database can be established. The HSMM is a tool in constant transition and updating,
of which, many changes have already been incorporated to date. It is hoped that false
positives will be eliminated through the use of the HSMM.

Several early spyglasses are depicted in five paintings by Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625, as he was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612, represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. We collected some documents showing

Abstract. Several early spyglasses are depicted in five paintings by Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625, as he was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612, represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. We collected some documents showing that Albert VII obtained spyglasses very early directly from Lipperhey or Sacharias Janssen. Thus the painting likely reproduces one of the first man-made telescopes ever. Two other instruments appear in two Allegories of Sight made in the years 1617 and 1618. These are sophisticated instruments and the structure suggests that they may be keplerian, but this is about two decades ahead this mounting was in use.

Several early spyglasses are depicted in five paintings by Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625, as he was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612, represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. We collected some documents showing

Abstract. Several early spyglasses are depicted in five paintings by Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625, as he was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612, represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. We collected some documents showing that Albert VII obtained spyglasses very early directly from Lipperhey or Sacharias Janssen. Thus the painting likely reproduces one of the first man-made telescopes ever. Two other instruments appear in two Allegories of Sight made in the years 1617 and 1618. These are sophisticated instruments and the structure suggests that they may be keplerian, but this is about two decades ahead this mounting was in use.

The National Observatory of Athens was founded in 1842. It is the oldest research foundation in Greece, and one of the oldest in Southern Europe. The first building, known as Sinas’ building, was based on a project designed by the Danish architect Theophilus Hansen. The cross-like neoclassic building has its sides oriented toward the four directions of the horizon. There is a small dome for a telescope in the center of the construction. The building was completed in 1846. Theophilos Hansen’s contribution was decisive, because he introduced into the indigenous classicism of its early development the aesthetic atmosphere of the late Central European classicism. One of the first telescopes of the Athens Observatory, known as the "Doridis Telescope", is now 220 years old. It was constructed in 1899 by Paul Ferdinand Gautier. Today the old building serves as a research facility housing the historic library and a museum of historical instruments.

We have investigated the nature and the origin of the telescopes depicted in three paintings of J. Bruegel the Elder completed between 1609 and 1618. The "tube" that appears in the painting dated 1608-1612 represents a very early dutch spyglass, tentatively attributable to Sacharias Janssen or Lipperhey, prior to those made by Galileo, while the two instruments made of several draw-tubes which appear in the two paintings of 1617 and 1618 are quite sophisticated and may represent early examples of Keplerian telescopes.

We have investigated the nature and the origin of the telescopes depicted in three paintings of J. Bruegel the Elder completed between 1609 and 1618. The "tube" that appears in the painting dated 1608-1612 represents a very early dutch spyglass, tentatively attributable to Sacharias Janssen or Lipperhey, prior to those made by Galileo, while the two instruments made of several draw-tubes which appear in the two paintings of 1617 and 1618 are quite sophisticated and may represent early examples of Keplerian telescopes.

Abstract. Several early spyglasses are depicted in five paintings by Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625, as he was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612, represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. We collected some documents showing that Albert VII obtained spyglasses very early directly from Lipperhey or Sacharias Janssen. Thus the painting likely reproduces one of the first man-made telescopes ever. Two other instruments appear in two Allegories of Sight made in the years 1617 and 1618. These are sophisticated instruments and the structure suggests that they may be keplerian, but this is about two decades ahead this mounting was in use.

Christoph Scheiner was born in 1573 or 1575. In 1595 he entered into the Order of the Jesuits; he died in 1650. In 1619 his book Oculus, dealing with the optics of the eye, appeared in Innsbruck. The invention of the telescope was of utmost importance for progress in astronomical and physical research. Scheiner himself built telescopes and discovered the sunspots. As a result, an unpleasant priority dispute with Galilei ensued. From 1624 onwards, Scheiner was in Rome, where his main work Rosa Ursina was published in 1630. A part of this book deals with the physiological optics of the eye as well. Some of his discoveries and experiments are taken from these two books: determination of the radius of curvature of the cornea, discovery of the nasal exit of the optic nerve, increase in the radius of curvature of the lens in case of accommodation, Scheiner's procedure (double images with ametropia), refractive indices of various parts of the eye, Scheiner's experiment. Without any doubt, Christoph Scheiner belongs to the foremost scientists of the first half of the 17th century.

The Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU), Germany, holds about 17 scientific collections. Some of them have been established only recently, others date back to the very foundation of the university in 1743 or even have their roots in the Kunstund Wunderkammern of the Margraves of Ansbach and Bayreuth. The collections differ not only with regard to their history, but also concerning their size, accessibility and presentation and the extent to which they are utilised for academic teaching and research. In spite of these differences, the collections show common characteristics as well: First, they all contain three-dimensional objects which have an immense potential for the communication of science and for the representation of the university to the public. Second, the objects are all subject to fairly similar problems regarding the basic museological tasks of collecting, preserving, researching on and presenting them. Given these shared needs and opportunities, t...

We have investigated the nature and the origin of the telescopes depicted in three paintings of J. Bruegel the Elder completed between 1609 and 1618. The "tube" that appears in the painting dated 1608-1612 represents a very early dutch spyglass, tentatively attributable to Sacharias Janssen or Lipperhey, prior to those made by Galileo, while the two instruments made of several draw-tubes which appear in the two paintings of 1617 and 1618 are quite sophisticated and may represent early examples of Keplerian telescopes.

Several early spyglasses are depicted in five paintings by Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625, as he was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612, represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. We collected some documents showing that Albert VII obtained spyglasses very early directly from Lipperhey or Sacharias Janssen. Thus the painting likely reproduces one of the first man-made telescopes ever. Two other instruments appear in two Allegories of Sight made in the years 1617 and 1618. These are sophisticated instruments and the structure suggests that they may be keplerian, but this is about two decades ahead this mounting was in use.

Several astronomical instruments including early spyglasses are depicted in at least five paintings that Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625. This rather unique circumstance is due to the fact that Jan Brueghel was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg, whose love for art and science, he celebrated in his paintings. An optical tube that appears

We have investigated the nature and the origin of the telescopes depicted in three paintings of J. Bruegel the Elder completed between 1609 and 1618. The "tube" that appears in the painting dated 1608-1612 represents a very early dutch spyglass, tentatively attributable to Sacharias Janssen or Lipperhey, prior to those made by Galileo, while the two instruments made of several draw-tubes which appear in the two paintings of 1617 and 1618 are quite sophisticated and may represent early examples of Keplerian telescopes.

We have investigated the nature and the origin of the telescopes depicted in three paintings of J. Bruegel the Elder completed between 1609 and 1618. The "tube" that appears in the painting dated 1608-1612 represents a very early dutch spyglass, tentatively attributable to Sacharias Janssen or Lipperhey, prior to those made by Galileo, while the two instruments made of several draw-tubes which appear in the two paintings of 1617 and 1618 are quite sophisticated and may represent early examples of Keplerian telescopes.

Several early spyglasses are depicted in five paintings by Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625, as he was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612, represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. We collected some documents showing

Several astronomical instruments including early spyglasses are depicted in at least five paintings that Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625. This rather unique circumstance is due to the fact that Jan Brueghel was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg, whose love for art and science, he celebrated in his paintings. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612 represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. Some documents are collected showing that Albert VII could have obtained very early spyglasses directly from Lipperhey or Sacharias Janssen, who are two possible inventors of the telescope. Thus the painting could reproduce one of the first telescopes ever made by mankind. Two more instruments appear prominently in two Allegories of Sight made in the years 1617 and 1618. These are precious instruments made possibly in silver, composed by several draw-tubes, which look much more...

In this paper, aimed at the general public, we give an overview of the history of Milan Observatory (Osservatorio di Brera-Merate). We especially concentrate on the eminent figures of Roger Boscovich (the Dalmatian mathematician, physicist and astronomer whose fame rivalled that of Isaac Newton) and Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli (the Milanese astronomer who discovered, or thought to have discovered, the famous Mars canals and demonstrated the relationship between comets and shooting stars).

Several early spyglasses are depicted in five paintings by Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625, as he was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612, represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. We collected some documents showing that Albert VII obtained spyglasses very early directly from Lipperhey or Sacharias Janssen. Thus the painting likely reproduces one of the first man-made telescopes ever. Two other instruments appear in two Allegories of Sight made in the years 1617 and 1618. These are sophisticated instruments and the structure suggests that they may be keplerian, but this is about two decades ahead this mounting was in use.

We have investigated the nature and the origin of the telescopes depicted in three paintings of J. Bruegel the Elder completed between 1609 and 1618. The "tube" that appears in the painting dated 1608-1612 represents a very early dutch spyglass, tentatively attributable to Sacharias Janssen or Lipperhey, prior to those made by Galileo, while the two instruments made of several draw-tubes which appear in the two paintings of 1617 and 1618 are quite sophisticated and may represent early examples of Keplerian telescopes.

Several early spyglasses are depicted in five paintings by Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625, as he was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612, represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. We collected some documents showing

Several astronomical instruments including early spyglasses are depicted in at least five paintings that Jan Brueghel the Elder completed between 1608 and 1625. This rather unique circumstance is due to the fact that Jan Brueghel was court painter of Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg, whose love for art and science, he celebrated in his paintings. An optical tube that appears in the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612 represents the first painting of a telescope whatsoever. Some documents are collected showing that Albert VII could have obtained very early spyglasses directly from Lipperhey or Sacharias Janssen, who are two possible inventors of the telescope. Thus the painting could reproduce one of the first telescopes ever made by mankind. Two more instruments appear prominently in two Allegories of Sight made in the years 1617 and 1618. These are precious instruments made possibly in silver, composed by several draw-tubes, which look much more...

How radio astronomers challenged national borders, disciplinary boundaries, and the constraints of vision to create an international scientific community.
For more than three thousand years, the science of astronomy depended on visible light. In just the last sixty years, radio technology has fundamentally altered how astronomers see the universe. Combining the wartime innovation of radar and the established standards of traditional optical telescopes, the “radio telescope” offered humanity a new vision of the universe. In A Single Sky, the historian David Munns explains how the idea of the radio telescope emerged from a new scientific community uniting the power of radio with the international aspirations of the discipline of astronomy. The radio astronomers challenged Cold War era rivalries by forging a united scientific community looking at a single sky.

Munns tells the interconnecting stories of Australian, British, Dutch, and American radio astronomers, all seeking to learn how to see the universe by means of radio. Jointly, this international array of radio astronomers built a new “community” style of science opposing the “glamour” of nuclear physics. A Single Sky describes a communitarian style of science, a culture of interdisciplinary and international integration and cooperation, and counters the notion that recent science has been driven by competition. Collaboration, or what a prominent radio astronomer called “a blending of radio invention and astronomical insight,” produced a science as revolutionary as Galileo's first observations with a telescope. Working together, the community of radio astronomers revealed the structure of the galaxy.

Das vorliegende Werk von Panagiotis Kitmeridis verbindet geschickt theoretische Überlegungen zur Entwicklung der Popularisierung mit gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhängen. Diskutiert wird die sich entwickelnde Wissenskultur, die wachsende Bildung breiterer Schichten in Zusammenhang mit dem Aufschwung der Naturwissenschaften und der Industriealisierung im 19. Jahrhundert in Deutschland. Im Zentrum steht neben der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft mit Museum (1817) der Physikalische Verein (1824) mit einem breiten Spektrum von Themen aus der Astronomie, Physik, Chemie, Technik, Meteorologie. 1877 wurde eine eigenständige Astronomische Abteilung gegründet. Seit 1907 gibt es die Sternwarte mit einem 8'' Refraktor. 1913 wurde ein wissenschaftliches Planeten-Institut zur Berechnung von Bahnen von Kleinplaneten ins Leben gerufen. Der lange Weg bis zur Gründung der Stiftungsuniversität Frankfurt (1912) mit fünf Fakultäten ohne Theologische Fakultät wird geschildert; der Physikalische Verein spielte dabei eine bedeutende Rolle.
Insgesamt wurde hier ausgezeichnet die Entwicklung des Physikalischen Vereins von einem populären zu einem populärwissenschaftlichen, dann zu einem akademisch geprägten Verein von der Gründung bis ins 20. Jahrhundert dargestellt. Bemerkenswert ist, daß dabei der Blick über die fachwissenschaftlichen Grenzen hinaus geweitet wird. So ist mit dieser disziplinübergreifenden Arbeit eindrucksvoll die Synthese aus Wissenschafts-, speziell Physik-, Chemie- und Technikgeschichte gelungen - eingebettet in den sozialen, gesellschaftlichen, wirtschaftlichen und industriellen Kontext. Insgesamt stellt dieses Werk einen wichtigen und innovativen Beitrag zur Popularisierungs- und Bildungsforschung dar.

ISBN 978-3-7469-0539-6 (Paperback), 978-3-7469-0540-2 (Hardcover)
(324 Seiten, 36 Farbseiten)

This paper includes the text of a hitherto unknown letter by the chronometer maker Heinrich Johann Kessels to Christopher Hansteen, details concerning the delivery of a pendulum clock to the University of Dorpat, and a list of timekeepers of Dorpat Observatory in 1840.

It was Galileo Galilei’s celestial observations published in "The Starry Messenger" of 1610 that made the telescope famous, but the device was more commonly used in the seventeenth century for terrestrial viewing. For this reason and thanks to a shared capacity to bring far away things close, the telescope and the genre of landscape are intimately related in ways that have not been fully worked out. Beginning with Jan Brueghel the Elder’s "Landscape with a View of Mariemont Castle" (c. 1609), which contains one of the first depictions of a telescope, this article describes how the genre was shaped, already in the sixteenth century — before the invention of the telescope proper — by fantasies of telescopy and, then, in turn, during the seventeenth century, by the reality of telescopic vision. The roundel format, I argue, was the clearest marker of this shaping.

Der geniale Forscher und Autodidakt Joseph von Fraunhofer (1787–1826) gilt als Begründer der wissenschaftlichen Methodik im Bereich der Optik und Feinmechanik. Sein Wirken im berühmten Optischen Institut des Münchner Unternehmers Joseph von Utzschneider (1763–1840) ist in zahlreichen Publikationen wissenschaftlich bearbeitet; Jürgen Kost analysiert kritisch die bisherige Geschichtsschreibung. Ein Desideratum war die Erforschung der weiteren Entwicklung
während des 19. Jahrhunderts. Dieses Buch untersucht ausführlich sieben Epochen der Firmenentwicklung von Merz über 100 Jahre von 1826 bis 1932 – eine der wichtigsten optisch-feinmechanischen Werkstätten bis um 1900.
Basierend auf einer Vielzahl neuer Quellen werden die Lebensläufe der agierenden Personen der Firma Merz, sowie Innovationen und Highlights dargestellt. Bemerkenswert ist die Aufdeckung der beachtenswerten eigenständigen Leistungen
der Merzschen Firma. Ein Beispiel bildet die sorgfältige Diskussion um den Anteil der Firma Merz an den von Fraunhofer begonnen Instrumenten, z. B. beim Heliometer für Friedrich Wilhelm Bessels (1784–1846) Fixsternparallaxe
oder bei dem achromatischen Refraktor für Johann Gottfried Galles (1812–1910) Neptunentdeckung in Berlin. Erstaunlich groß ist das Spektrum des Angebots der Firma Merz, weit über
astronomische Objektive und Teleskope hinaus; man reagiert auf neue technische Bedürfnisse und liefert zum Beispiel auch Instrumente zur Landvermessung, Mikroskope für Medizin oder Mineralogie, Militäroptik, Spektroskope und Fotoobjektive. Die vorliegende Arbeit schließt aus wissenschaftshistorischer Sicht eine wichtige Lücke zwischen den optisch-feinmechanischen Manufakturen des frühen 19.
Jahrhunderts und der modernen optischen Industrie des 20. Jahrhunderts (wie Zeiss). Beispielhaft wird hierbei der Aufstieg der Firma Merz, deren Teleskope sich in den Observatorien in aller Welt finden, zu einem Global Player des wissenschaftlichen Instrumentenbaus dargestellt, aber auch dessen Abstieg u. a. durch die Weltwirtschaftskrise. In interdisziplinärer Herangehensweise gelingt hier eindrucksvoll die Synthese aus Wissenschaftsgeschichte und Instrumententechnik im Kontext der politischen und wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung.

Around 1930 Bernhard Schmidt (1879–1935), an optician from Estonia, invented an important telescope for astrophotography which allows the recording of an extremely wide field without distortions (coma free). After leaving Mittweida he could establish his workshop in Hamburg Observatory in Bergedorf. The original Schmidt telescope (aperture 36-cm) is still presented in Hamburg in the Schmidt Museum. After World War II the Schmidt telescopes spread over the world; the two largest Schmidt telescopes are the 126-cm-Big Schmidt, Mount Palomar, California, 1948, and the 134- cm-Schmidt telescope, Carl Zeiss of Jena, Tautenburg, 1960. In 1954 Hamburg got its large Schmidt telescope (aperture 80 cm). Also Bamberg Observatory acquired already in 1954 a 36-cm-Schmidt telescope like the first in Hamburg. Zusammenfassung Um 1930 erfand Bernhard Schmidt (1879–1935), ein Optiker aus Estland, der seine Werkstatt in der Hamburger Sternwarte errichten konnte, ein wichtiges Teleskop zur Astrophotographie, das die Aufnahme eines enorm großen Bildfeldes verzerrungsfrei (komafrei) ermöglichte. Das Original-Schmidt-Teleskop (Öffnung 36 cm) ist im Schmidt-Museum in Hamburg ausgestellt. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg verbreiteten sich die Schmidtteleskope. Die beiden größten Schmidtspiegel der Welt entstanden mit dem 126 cm-„Big Schmidt“, Mount Palomar, Kalifornien, 1948, und dem 134 cm- Schmidtspiegel, Carl Zeiss Jena, in Tautenburg, 1960. 1954 wurde das große Schmidt- Teleskop (Öffnung von 80 cm) in Hamburg-Bergedorf aufgestellt. Auch die Bamberger Sternwarte beschaffte sich bereits 1954 ein 36 cm-Schmidtteleskop nach dem Vorbild von Hamburg.

We present the work of Simon Marius - a mathematician and astronomer who discovered in 1610 the four largest satellites of Jupiter with a Belgian made telescope at about the same time as Galileo Galilei, but published his discoveries 4 years later. In 2014 the astronomical community commemorates 400 years since the publishing of Simon Marius' book Mundus Iovialis containing his observations done independently by Galilei.
Marius' records are even closer to the modern figures than Galilei's ones. Simon Marius noticed also, that the orbital plane of the Jupiter satellites is slightly tilted relative to both
the Jupiter equatorial plane and the ecliptic, explaining thus the discrepancies in latitude, which Galilei did not mention. Marius also noticed the change in the satellites brightness
and calculated respective tables for the period 1608 - 1630. Simon Marius was a calendar maker and a translator of Euclid from Greek - he published Die Ersten Sechs Bücher
Elementorum Euclidis (The First Six Books Elementorum Euclidis). Among his observations are the comets of 1596 and 1618, the supernova in the constellation Ophiuchus in 1604 (giving its precise position), observations of Venus, and the sun spots, from whose movement he noticed that the equatorial plane of the sun is tilted relative to the ecliptic and the appearance of sunspots is periodical. Simon Marius first observed with telescope the Andromeda Nebula in December 1612, and gave the first description of this object based on telescopic observation. The multilingual portal dedicated to Simon Marius (http://www.simon-marius.net/) and prepared by the Nuremberg Astronomical Society, has been opened since February 2014. The portal gives introduction to his biography and scientific achievements, as well as retrievable sources, secondary literature, lectures, news and convenient links.

We report on a newly discovered letter by Christoph Rothmann, dated July 1st 1584, and addressed to Johann Ernst of Anhalt. The letter supports the earlier assumption that Johann Ernst recommended Rothmann to Landgrave Wilhelm of Hesse, as Rothmann asks for Johann Ernst's help on the matter in this new source. More importantly Rothmann refers to his attempts to make Copernicus' calculations compatible with the Ptolomean model, which demonstrates that already at this stage of his career he was working on such a compromise, and not only after being influenced by Raimarus Ursus or Tycho Brahe, as has been argued by some authors.

Jan Brueghel the Elder depicted spyglasses belonging to the Archduke Albert VII of Habsburg in at least five paintings in the period between 1608 and 1625. Albert VII was fascinated by art and science and he obtained spyglasses directly from Lipperhey and Sacharias Janssen approximately at the time when the telescope was first shown at The Hague at the end of 1608. In the Extensive Landscape with View of the Castle of Mariemont, dated 1608-1612, the Archduke is looking at his Mariemont castle through an optical tube and this is the first time a spyglass was painted whatsoever. It is quite possible that the painting reproduces one of the first telescopes ever made. Two other Albert VII's telescopes are prominently reproduced in two Allegories of Sight painted a few years later (1617-1618). They are sophisticated instruments and their structure, in particular the shape of the eyepiece, suggests that they are composed by two convex lenses in a Keplerian optical configuration which became of common use only more than two decades later. If this is the case, these paintings are the first available record of a Keplerian telescope.

About 1748 Tobias Mayer began to work on a moon globe and two years later he published his Bericht von den Mondskugeln, welche bey der kosmographischen Gesellschaft in Nürnberg [...] verfertiget werden. It was planned to sell the globe after advertising a subscription, but the enterprise failed. Only six copperplates and some drawings are extant. In 1997 the author was commissioned by the Gauss-Society of Göttingen to make a reprint of the plates which should eventually lead to a reconstruction of one of the earliest moon globes.

Astronomie in Franken - Von den Anfängen bis zur modernen Astrophysik - 125 Jahre Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg (1889)

Die Tagung des Arbeitskreises Astronomiegeschichte hat das Thema "Astronomie in Franken" und beginnt in Nürnberg mit dem Titel "Astronomie in Franken - Simon Marius und seine Zeit", 20. Sept. 2014, und wird in Bamberg am 21.-22. Sept. 2014 fortgesetzt. Die Tagung in Bamberg steht unter dem Thema "Astronomie in Franken - Von den Anfängen bis zur modernen Astrophysik". Die Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte wurde 1889 auf einem der sieben Hügel Bambergs, dem Stephansberg, in 288m Höhe am Rand der Stadt im Nordosten errichtet. Die instrumentelle Ausstattung zeigt den Übergang von der klassische Astronomie, u.a. mit Meridiankreisbeobachtungen, (Passageinstrument, Refraktor und Heliometer) zur modernen Astrophysik (Heliograph, Astrograph, Kometensucher, astrophysikalische Instrumente, besonders Photometer, und nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg ein Spiegelteleskop und ein Schmidtspiegel). Ernst Hartwig (1851-1923) legte die Grundlagen für die Astrophysik mit der Himmelsphotographie und seinen Forschungen zu Veränderlichen Sternen - 80 Jahre lang das Hauptarbeitsgebiet der Bamberger Sternwarte, auch in der Ära von Ernst Zinner (1886-1970) und Wolfgang Strohmeier (1913-2005). Aufgrund eines Sky Survey-Programms unter Einbeziehung des Südhimmels (Boyden Observatory, Bloemfontein, Südafrika, Mount John University Observatory, Lake Tekapo, Neuseeland und La Plata, Argentinien, 1963 bis 1974) entstand eine eindrucksvolle Photoplattensammlung, die bald vollständig digitalisiert vorliegt. Ernst Zinner führte ein weiteres Interessensgebiet in der Remeis-Sternwarte ein, die astronomiehistorische Forschung. Deshalb wurde als Tagungsthema "Astronomie in Franken" gewählt, um diese Pionierarbeit auf diesem Gebiet mit einzubeziehen, also zum Beispiel das Wirken von Johannes Schöner, Christopher Clavius und von vielen weiteren fränkischen Astronomen vom Mittelalter bis heute. Man denke auch an die wertvollen Sammlungen astronomischer Handschriften, Inkunabeln, Bücher und Globen in der Staatsbibliothek Bamberg und der Schloßbibliothek Pommersfelden.

The paper treats the history of the astronomical clock at the face of the town hall of Olmütz/Olomouc with special consideration of the substantial reconstruction executed in 1573–75 and the extant parts of the clock. Among these the rete of the astrolabe dial is the most significant object.

Am Beispiel der Geschichte eines Höhepunktes technischer Fernrohrentwicklung werden wir hier sehen, dass verschiedene Abbildungsfehler in Teleskopen schon lange wissenschaftlich bekannt sind und durch Ingenieure bekämpft wurden. Ein (vorläufiger) Höhepunkt der Entwicklung sind die Medialfernrohre als Kombination von Bauelementen, die gegenseitig die Abbildungsfehler der jeweils anderen aufheben.