h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Great Telescope of Birr Castle, Ireland - A692336
Author: Gnomon - Time is on my Side - U151503

A piece about the biggest scientific instrument ever built in Ireland.

No – don't read it, GB ! You'll end up interested in astronomy!

The only suggestion I have to make is to add a few links (I'm sure someone, can't think who, has written one or two astronomy-related articles) such as A13785816 – Sir Patrick Moore

<BB<

Thanks BB, I've added a few relevant links.

Hi Gnomon
Thanks for writing this, it sounds well worth a visit

I'm a little confused by this, perhaps you can explain:

"...receiving a degree in mathematics with first class honours in 1822. He acted as the representative for King's County (the name at that time for County Offaly) in the House of Lords, but gave up a political life in 1834. In 1836 he married Mary Wilmer-Field, a rich heiress from Bradford, Yorkshire, and his parents moved out of Birr to Brighton, leaving him as owner of the Castle and grounds.

By this time, Parsons was already interested in astronomy. He wanted to build himself a big telescope. He started experimenting with methods of construction in 1827."

His experiments began when his parents still owned the place? Or should 1827 be 1837?

GB

Yes, he started experimenting while his parents still lived in the castle. I'll reword this to make it clearer.

OK, I've reworded that paragraph. I think it's clearer now the sequence of events.

and I remember the Third Earl for his drawing of the Crab Nebula when I was researching it http://www.maa.clell.de/Messier/E/More/m001_rosse.html which to me looked more like a pineapple

A little off topic, but the Crab Nebu!a is one of the most dynamic objects in the sky, constantly in motion, constantly changing g over time.

It does look like a pineapple in that picture, doesn't it?

I've heard that Irish monks were the only people in Europe to record the appearance of the supernova that created the Crab, even though it was so bright it could be seen during the day. There were plenty of records in China.

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<BB<

Thank you.

GB

If you ever come to Dublin, GB, I'll drive you to Birr to see the telescope.

Ireland is on my wishlist,

Ian has already visited and loved it, especially Giant's Causeway.

Well done

I've sent the picture for this to the artists.