(Continuation)
09. This view shows the remains of William Herchel's 40-ft telescope (see image 10) and the rear of the meridian building.
10. Herschel's 40-foot reflector.
For 50 years, this was the largest telescope in the world. King George III granted £4,000 for it to be made, and from 1789 to 1840 it stood in the grounds of Herschel's home in Slough [near London]. The telescope's large size made it difficult to manage, and his only real achievement with it was the discovery of the sixth and seventh moons of Saturn.
Sir John Herschel, the astronomer's son, dismantled the telescope in 1840 and left the tube lying on the lawn. Thirty years later the tube was crushed by a falling tree, destrying all but the section seen in the previous photo.
11. Part of the remains of Herschel's telescope with the 28-inch refractor dome in background.
12. The 28-inch photo-visual refractor in its English equatorial mount.
Completed in 1893, this is the largest of its kind in the UK and the seventh largest refractor in the world. Particularly interesting is the fact the objective was designed to be 'reversible'. More details here:
http://tinyurl.com/4yhprv
13. The Peter Harrison Planetarium.
Unlike the old planetarium in Baker Street that sported a nice (1960s?) Zeiss optical projector, this one has the latest laser projection system. The planetarium cone is one of the single largest uses of bronze in the world. It is made from nearly 250 individual plates welded together and patinated to look like one piece. [Oh really? It doesn't look like one piece to me!]
The shape of the cone is related to the stars and is unique to its location in Greenwich. [i.e. one edge points to the NCP and is thus inclined at 51deg 28min 44sec, the latitude of the Observatory.]
14. View from the Observatory.
Down the bottom of the hill is the Queen's House (Inigo Jones, completed 1629) and the National Maritime Museum. Beyond are the new buildings of Canary Wharf and the London Docklands develpment.
15. A continuing thirst for knowledge can be satisfied at this establishment, just outside the gates of Greenwich Park.
