
3 5 c m
40cm
actual image size: 32cm x 27cm
Description
This miniature telescope is a instrument that has been variously called an opera or prospect glas. It is a small Galilean telescope that provides a low magnification using a large convex front lens with a concave eyepiece lens. This unsigned example is made of tooled vellum with a single drawtube and is dated to the mid 18th century. Small telescopes of this type were popular for viewing the stage from afar when at the theatre or opera house.
Image Details
Image Ref.
10299309
© Science Museum / Science & Society Picture Library