***PLEASE NOTE THE TITLE OF THIS LOT SHOULD READ 'THE MARKREE CASTLE TELESCOPE***
THE MARKREE CASTLE TELESCOPE
Temporary Mounting of an Achromatic Refracting Telescope, property of E. J...

***PLEASE NOTE THE TITLE OF THIS LOT SHOULD READ 'THE MARKREE CASTLE TELESCOPE***
THE MARKREE CASTLE TELESCOPE
Temporary Mounting of an Achromatic Refracting Telescope, property of E. J Cooper, Esq. M.P, Diameter of the Object Glass 14 inches, Full length 25 feet by W. Eldridge, lithographer and printed by Eagleman & Co., 280 x 360mm

 

Maria Edgeworth records in her letters (ed. Pakenham 2018) that in the summer of 1835 scientists descended on Dublin and then proceeded to Markee to inspect the worlds most powerful achromatic telescope made by Thomas Grubb, some ten years previous to the famous Birr telescope. She mentions Professor Rowan Hamilton and Sir John and Lady Franklin (of Artic fame). This rare, apparently unrecorded lithograph, was probably produced to commemorate the event. Edward Joshua Cooper constructed a permanent observatory beside the castle, appointed professional directors and published a catalogue of 60,066 stars in 4 volumes between 1851 - 1856. The last director was Frederick Henkel and the observatory was closed in 1902.

 

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