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We
have replicated, with great
care, Galileo's two
internationally famous
telescopes
The two originals which are
attributed to Galileo are on
display at IMSS in Florence
Italy. We constructed
INV
# 2428.
complete with its gilded
leather covering even
duplicating its very
unusual internal
construction, something that
has not been done before.
We made this instrument for
the Griffith Observatory for
their 2006 renovation.
We
also constructed
INV#2427
The
equally interesting
laboratory type telescope
for the Adler Planetarium.
It has a split wood tube
covered with paper painted
and reinforced with copper
wire bands along its barrel.
We took great care with both
telescopes reproducing
each
part of the instruments to
be as close as possible to
the originals.
Each
telescope has
been assembled by hand
as they were in Galileo's
day.
Our dimensional
accuracy has been kept to
within a few percent in all
cases and in some instance's
to fractions of a
millimeter of the
originals. We also chose
not
to antique them but to show
them as they would
have looked when new.
The telescopes are high
museum grade replicas and
very rare. The leather
covered telescope, the
replica of IMSS inv #2428,
has over 100 pieces and is
embossed with over 400
gilding die strikes. It has
very unusual
construction
features both inside and
out, with an optical power
of 21. The replica of IMSS
inv. 2527 represents a
construction style commonly
used in research / field
grade telescopes for that
time period. It has nearer
17 pieces and a power of
14. The pair complement each
other, one a presentation
piece destined to one of
power and influence the
other a field type
instrument for customer or
colleague.
Since our
replicas are so accurately reproduced
they're particularly
useful as research,
teaching, and display tools.
One can see, feel them, and
operate them as Galileo saw
felt and operated them. This
tactile experience high
lights more accurately
their virtues and their
faults giving a more
mature
insight into 1609 telescope
making and use that Galileo
his associates and customers
experienced.
Achieving this high level
of accuracy in the
reproduction of these
telescopes was through the
patience and very
professional help of the
staff at IMSS in Florence
Italy, the staff of the
Griffith Observatory, and
the staff of Adler
Planetarium with their
interesting replicas made by
Cipriani. The staff made it
possible for us to make
measurements and make high
resolution photos of the
originals and some Cipriani
replica telescopes. They
also shared their
considerable experience of
these instruments with us.
We found It was absolutely
essential to make these
measurements ourselves
having found a number of
important differences in the
data for dimensions and
materials in the published
data and the exiting
replicas from the originals.
We made concerted effort in
checking and cross checking
our data in resolving
these differences. It is
important to note in our
comparison that
we distinguished data
between Galileo type
telescopes and those
reporting to be Galilean
replicas. For those
instances where there was no
data such as the eyepiece
holder in IMSS 2528 we made
and noted our best guess.
based on our
technical
experience which
is considerable.
Last but not least In the
virtually all cases it is
possible to make simple
modification to our replica
telescope if necessary to
accommodate any new and
more reliable information
if it becomes available.
The bottom line is that our
replicas are the most
accurate and finest made to
date and will hopefully
serve as standards for
other replication in the
future.
From our technical point of
view researching and
building a
number of Galileo
instruments (
see
#1 ---
see
#2
----
see #3
)
we saw Galileo and his
telescopes as remarkable and
timeless examples of what
the business of science is
all about. Galileo and
his instruments are a
first rate, important case
study of science, technology
and there support. Their is
much to learn for our future
from his story and his
instruments but we
first have to
deSobelize our selves.
Below is an outline and some
simple, at times stretched,
examples of Galileo
practicing technology as
seen from fellow
technologist point to view.
One may find faults (most
are Jim's) in our grammar
our spelling our choice of
examples but we hope, you
get at least a inkling of
how important this case
study is. Most scientists
will recognized themselves
in many ways as the
Galileo's of today.
TLM.
We have made two of each of
these telescope one for our
collection and the other for
the museums.
They have been well
received
along with our discovery of
the
Galilean
Syndrome
by
Magazine,
TV
programs
,
and
talks
at Harvard Observatory and
Bunker Hill collage
See the photos below.
For those with the
professional interest we
will be making a few of
these very precise museum
grade replicas for
museums, serious collectors
and those who so kindly
donate instruments of this
quality to their favorite
museums and other teaching
instructions
If
interested please contacted
us at
k1ugm@comcast.net or 781 245 2897 for
more details. |
