Heliostat

Heliostat

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Description
A heliostat throws sunlight where it might be used for photography or scientific observations. This unsigned example consists of a rectangular mirror with rounded corners that is mounted in a metal frame and supported on a tri-leg base. It has no clockwork, but it does have tangent screws for turning the mirror around its vertical and horizontal axes. Several manufacturers offered “laboratory heliostats” of this general design.
Ref. Société Genevoise, Illustrated Price List of Physical and Mechanical Instruments (Geneva, 1900), item 2120, pp. 85-86.
Max Kohl, Price List No. 50, Vol. 1 (Chemnitz, n.d.), pp. 34-35.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
heliostat
date made
ca 1900
maker
Duboscq, Jules
Measurements
overall: 23 1/2 in; 59.69 cm
mirror: 14 in x 8 in; 35.56 cm x 20.32 cm
overall: 17 7/16 in x 11 in x 14 in; 44.29125 cm x 27.94 cm x 35.56 cm
ID Number
PH.315433
accession number
217544
catalog number
315433
Credit Line
U.S. Military Academy
subject
Science & Scientific Instruments
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
Science & Mathematics
Optics
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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