Comments on: 200 INCH TELESCOPE Is Greatest Engine of Science http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/05/29/200-inch-telescope-is-greatest-engine-of-science/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:01:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Ken Spencer http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/05/29/200-inch-telescope-is-greatest-engine-of-science/#comment-1058562 Ken Spencer Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:27:13 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=4510#comment-1058562 If this is in fact the first mirror they poured, it turned out to be a failure. The iron rods which tied down firebrick to make the "waffle" pattern in the back of the mirror melted in the intense heat, and pieces of the firebrick mold floated to the surface, and ruined the mirror! There was hope they could salvage the mirror, but it was hopeless. They then set about doing it all over again, and the second pouring was successful, and that is the mirror that is now in the 200-inch telescope at Mt. Palomar. The good news, however, is that the original mirror is on display at the Corning Glass Museum, in Corning New York, and it is an astounding thing to see. For years, only the back of the mirror was on display, but when they rebuilt the glass museum, they suspended the mirror in a forked mount, and now the back and the front of the mirror can be seen! And you can still see the iron rods and firebrick within the mirror! The museum has so much more on display, it is worth taking a trip there, if you can. This is wonderful to see the scans of the original article in Modern Mechanix. There is another book just on building the telescope called "The Perfect Machine" which is also worth reading. If this is in fact the first mirror they poured, it turned out to be a failure. The iron rods which tied down firebrick to make the “waffle” pattern in the back of the mirror melted in the intense heat, and pieces of the firebrick mold floated to the surface, and ruined the mirror! There was hope they could salvage the mirror, but it was hopeless. They then set about doing it all over again, and the second pouring was successful, and that is the mirror that is now in the 200-inch telescope at Mt. Palomar. The good news, however, is that the original mirror is on display at the Corning Glass Museum, in Corning New York, and it is an astounding thing to see. For years, only the back of the mirror was on display, but when they rebuilt the glass museum, they suspended the mirror in a forked mount, and now the back and the front of the mirror can be seen! And you can still see the iron rods and firebrick within the mirror! The museum has so much more on display, it is worth taking a trip there, if you can. This is wonderful to see the scans of the original article in Modern Mechanix. There is another book just on building the telescope called “The Perfect Machine” which is also worth reading.

]]> By: Mike http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/05/29/200-inch-telescope-is-greatest-engine-of-science/#comment-1056096 Mike Fri, 30 May 2008 02:48:39 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=4510#comment-1056096 According to Wikipedia, the telescope was actually finished ten years late, in 1948. It remained the largest telescope in the world in the world until 1980. According to Wikipedia, the telescope was actually finished ten years late, in 1948.

It remained the largest telescope in the world in the world until 1980.

]]> By: Mike http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/05/29/200-inch-telescope-is-greatest-engine-of-science/#comment-1056095 Mike Fri, 30 May 2008 02:46:16 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=4510#comment-1056095 This mirror was for what would be known as the Hale telescope at Mount Palomar observatory, which is excellently described in the book "First Light" by Richard Preston. This mirror was for what would be known as the Hale telescope at Mount Palomar observatory, which is excellently described in the book “First Light” by Richard Preston.

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