Abstract
THE Earl of Rosse, whose death on August 29 has been already announced, inherited a name of great renown in science. It was during his childhood that his father, the third Earl, erected the mighty reflecting telescopes at his seat at Birr Castle by which the name of Lord Rosse became famous throughout the world. The third Earl was endowed by Nature with much mechanical skill, and as a means of utilising his tastes and opportunities in the best possible manner for the advancement of knowledge he commenced to make reflecting telescopes. Every detail of the work was carried out in the workshops which gradually grew about Birr Castle. Incessant experiments were made to improve the methods of casting, grinding, and polishing the specula, until at last his efforts culminated in the mighty six-foot reflector which even at this day, notwithstanding the advances of the last sixty years, has still the greatest aperture of any astronomical instrument in the world.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
The Late Earl of Rosse . Nature 78, 448–449 (1908). https://doi.org/10.1038/078448a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/078448a0