ROBINSON, THOMAS RODNEY & THOMAS GRUBB. - THE GREAT MELBOURNE TELESCOPE.

Description of the Great Melbourne Telescope.

(London, Taylor and Francis, 1870). 4to. No wrappers as extracted from "Philosophical Transactions" 1869 - Vol. 159 - Part I. Pp. 127-161 and 10 lithographed plates, showing the telescope and its parts. A few small weak brownspots to top of some plates.

First printing of the detailled description of the Great Melbourne Telescope, by Robinson, member of the commitee and Thomas Grubb, the constructor. With it a number of importent observations of Nebulae were carried out. For 20 years it was the largest in the world, and it was the first instrument to document gravitational lens light refraction. The telescope was destroyed during the bush fires of January 2003.
"The construction of the grand instrument was entrusted to Mr. Grubb, F.R.S., of Dublin, Ireland. At the Commencement of the year 1868 the telescope was completed, and examined by the Commitee of the Royal Society, made up of Lord Rosse, Dr. Robinson and Warren de la Rue. Intheir report they expressed their opinion that the equatorial was a masterpiece of astronomical mechanism."

Order-nr.: 42671