Telescopes of Galileo
Year: 1993
Authors: Greco V., Molesini G., Quercioli F.
Autors Affiliation: Istituto Nazionale di Ottica, Largo E. Fermi 6, 50125 Firenze, Italy
Abstract: The Florentine Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza houses two complete telescopes and a single objective lens (reconstructed from several fragments) that can be attributed to Galileo. These optics have been partially dismantled and made available for optical testing with state-of-the-art equipment. The lenses were investigated individually; the focal length and the radii of curvature were measured, and the optical layout of the instruments was worked out. The optical quality of the surfaces and the overall performance of the two complete telescopes have been evaluated interferometrically at a wavelength of 633 nm (with a He-Ne laser source). It was found in particular that the optics of Galileo
came close to attaining diffraction-limited operation.
Journal/Review: APPLIED OPTICS
Volume: 32 (31) Pages from: 6219 to: 6226
KeyWords: Galileo; telescope; optical testing; science history; philosophyDOI: 10.1364/AO.32.006219Citations: 17data from “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) are update at: 2024-10-27References taken from IsiWeb of Knowledge: (subscribers only)Connecting to view paper tab on IsiWeb: Click hereConnecting to view citations from IsiWeb: Click here