Cooke Telescope Tales - transit of Mercury seen from Mauritius in 1907

The transit of Mercury was observed on November 14^th 1907 from the Royal Alfred Observatory in Mauritius using a Cooke 6 inch refractor. The transit which was seen through a partly  cloudy sky and the limb of the Sun was described as being boiling. Mercury appeared as a clear cut black disc, perfectly circular with no spot or fringe. 

There were 11 photographs taken during the transit with the 6 inch Cooke. The telescope  had ben supplied to Mauritius by the colonial government in1874 in order to observe the transit of Venus.

                                                        www.tharamblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - The disorderly apprentice in 1859

 On Thursday November 3^rd 1859 J Chadwick esq apprentice summoned Mr Cooke, optician and mathematical instrument maker to the magistrates at the Guildhall in York for refusing to teach him his grade. 

Mr Cooke said that J Chadwick had grossly misbehaved and had absented himself on one or two occasions. Under these circumstances Mr Cooke refused to receive the lad into his service. 

The magistrate ordered the lad’s indentures to be dismissed. J Chadwick has since joined the Cape Mounted Rifles in South Africa.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through Octans the Octant

 Octans the Octant-Southern Hemisphere

The constellation that contains the South Pole star, despite this privileged position, Octans is faint and unremarkable. There is no southern equivalent of Polaris, the North Pole star. The nearest star to the south celestial pole is Sigma Octantis with a magnitude of only 5.5 which lies about 1 degree from the pole. 

The constellation of Octans commemorates the instrument known as the Octant, a forerunner of the sextant, invented by the English astronomer John Hadley and used by him for measuring star positions.

The constellation was introduced by Nicolas Lacaille during his stay at the Cape of Good Hope and its dullness is a memorial to his dreadful lack of imagination.

There are a few northern references to a south pole star, the Hindu’s referred to it as Dramasa, while the Arab astronomers either knew or guessed that there would be a south pole without giving it a name.

The brightest star is Nu an orange K class giant star with a brightness of magnitude of 3.7 lying at a distance of 64 light years.

Sigma the South Pole Star shines with a brightness of magnitude 5.5 and lies at a distance of 281 light years. Sigma is a F class giant star with a temperature of 7,200’C.

Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope for Macclesfield in 1864

Thomas Davenport of Macclesfield purchased from Thomas Cooke in 1864 a small telescope. It had a lens of 2.5 inches and came with a terrestrial eyepiece and leather sling case. I assume this was not for astronomical work. 

Davenport later in 1868 purchased from Thomas Cooke a brass pillar and claw table stand and two astronomical eyepieces. I don’t know if this was to mount the telescope he purchased in 1864 or if it was for another instrument.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - meteor over Sweden in 1876

 Nature August 3^rd 1876

A fall of meteorites, we learn from Aftonblad, took place on June 28^th, between 11.00 and 12.00 am near Stalldalen, a station non the Swedish Central Railway, in the northern most part of Orebrolan. Several fell, some on the ground and others in a lake. Two were found, one about the size of the fist band weighing 4.5 lbs, the other smaller.

Eyewitnesses stated that a loud whistling was first heard in the air from west to east, and a light was plainly distinguishable; although the sky was clear and cloudless, thereafter two very sharp reports were heard, the second succeeding the first after a momentary interval, followed by several others less sharp, resembling thunder, after which the falling stones were observed by eight or ten persons; and finally, there was seen in the air a whirling smoke, not very high up.

A meteor was observed simultaneously at Stockholm and at other places. At thirteen English miles south west of Linkoping it was seen first in a north westerly direction pretty high up in the sky, and it then sank down in about ten seconds towards the horizon in the west. It had the appearance of a large pear a foot long, which, notwithstanding the bright sunshine, left behind a clear shinning streak of six to eight feet in appearance length, which finally broke up into a multitude of starlike sparks. Here no noise was heard.

According to a communication from the Stockholm Meteorological Bureau, there is reason to believe that the phenomenon arose from the “Kulblixt” which generally appears as a luminous round object, and often on approaching the ground, assumes a lengthened form and a blinding white colour, and bursts asunder, commonly with a loud report. As all who observed the meteor, both in Stockholm and in Sodernanland , saw the luminous appearance in the same direction, viz. W N W, it is probable that the light proceeded from the main mass of the meteor situated at a very great distance.

The phenomenon observed here at Stockholm must therefore have been an illusion, the object, instead of being, as most people estimated, within a few thousand feet, being actually at a great distance.

Later information shows that the phenomenon was visible over a great part of middle Sweden.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope for sale in Ormskirk in 1968

 A Cooke Troughton 5 inch telescope was being offered for sale in Ormskirk by W A Howe in 1968. There was also a 14 foot diameter dome observatory for sale. 

The fact that this was advertised as a Cooke Troughton telescopes suggest it was post a relatively modern instrument being a post 1922 instrument.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

The Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country. 

I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.

 

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - Mira Ceti in 1779

Nature July 6^th 1876

Mira Ceti

Reference is often made in treatises on astronomy to the unusual degree of brilliancy attained by this variable star at the maximum of 1779.

From the observations of Bode, Herschel and Wargentin, we have the following particulars of the augmentation and diminution of brightness in that year.

Aug 22 – Invisible in an ordinary 2 feet telescope

Sept 8 – Seen with the same instrument but very faint

Sept 18 Immediately visible to the naked eye according to Herschel. Bode estimated it magnitude 4

Oct 5 and Oct 6 – Already much brighter than Menkar (alpha Ceti)

Oct 15- Oct 19 – Equal to alpha Arietis on the 15^th and still brighter on the 19^th; the light reddish

Oct 30 – According to Wargentin, it was equal to Aldebaran and of the same colour, or even of the redness of Mars which was observable the same night. In a 10 feet achromatic Mira shot out vivid red rays. Herschel considered it midway in brightness between alpha Arietis and Aldebaran.

Nov 2 – There was even an increase, in the judgement of Herschel

Nov 11 – Visible as early as Aldebaran and Mars

Nov 20 – As bright as, but not brighter than stars of the second magnitude, according to Herschel, but on the 25^th much brighter than Menkar, though less than Aldebaran according to Wargentin

Dec 4 – Only equal to alpha Arietis

Dec 7 and Dec 10 – So much diminished since November 25, that it was now hardly equal to Menkar, and its colour was now whiter.

Dec 25 – Before the Moon rose equal to gamma Ceti, or of the third magnitude

Dec 29 – Only a little brighter than the fourth magnitude; not equal to gamma or delta Ceti

Argelander gives for the date of maximum Nov 6 1779

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

 

 

Cooke Telescope Tales - two telescopes for sale in Newcastle in 1945

Two Cooke telescopes were being offered for sale in Newcastle in 1945 by Hartley Hopper. One was a 4 inch and the other was a 5 inch. I don’t have any information regarding the histories of these two telescopes.

                                                        www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - Telescope for sale in Manchester in 1952

 In 1952 a telescope with a 5 inch lens made by Thomas Cooke & Sons was for sale. It was the property of Mr H L Dilks who I believe had been a previous president of the Manchester Astronomical Society between 1937 - 45. As is often the case I don’t know who might have owned the telescope before Mr Dilks. 

Although the lens and equatorial mount, iron pillar and clockwork drive were made by Cooke the tube and finder telescope had been made by Wary. 

In addition to the telescope a small portable wooden observatory was also offered for sale.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

A little ramble through 19thy century astronomy - few sunspots in 1876

 Nature June 22^nd 1876

According to the photographs taken daily at Montmartre by M. Janssen , no spots have now been noticed on the Sun since March 25^th. At the last meeting of the Paris Academy, M. Leverrier announced that in addition to the solar work to be carried out by M. Janssen in the new physical observatory of Paris, M. Cornu has been appointed to make corresponding searches in the National Observatory. 

                                                        www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - Charles Pritchard and his telescope

 Charles Pritchard FRAS (1808-1893)  Hurst Hill on the Isle of Wight purchased from Thomas Cooke & Sons in 1865 an equatorial mounting for his Cooke telescope. I can only assume he wanted to upgrade the mounting for the telescope he had . 

In the late 1850s Pritchard had purchased from Cooke & Sons a 6.75 inch telescope. 

Pritchard was elected Savilian professor of Astronomy at Oxford University in 1870. 

In 1882 he undertook the study of the brightness of 2,784 stars, this was an important  project at the time and for this work he was presented with the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1886.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - Montsouris Observatory 1876

 Nature June 8^th 1876

Regular courses of lectures have been established at the Naval Observatory, Montsouris, for the officers of the French National navy attached to the establishment. The general principals of astronomical observations are lectured upon by M. Loewy; Special Naval methods, by Capt. Turquet, the Director of the establishment;  Terrestrial Magnetism, by M. Marie Davy, Director of the Montsouiris Observatory. Spectroscopy, by MK. Cornu; Photography in its application to astronomy, by M. Angot, of the National Observatory of Paris. 

All the observations made by the pupils are submitted to correction, and will be utilised as far as possible for  the improvement of the Connaissance des Temps.

www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke telescope Tales - telescope to Worcester Sauce in 1867

 If you think of Worcester Sauce you may think of Lea & Perrins, what you might struggle to find is a link with astronomy. However in 1867 James Dyson Perrins (1823-1887) purchased a 3.25 inch educational telescope from Thomas Cooke & Sons York. 

James Dyson Perrins was the son of William Henry Perrins who joint founded the company in 1837 with John Wheeley Lea. He would help run the company after the death of his father. 

James was keen to increase the educational institutions in Worcester. He also supported the Public Library and many charitable institutions in Worcester. 

As is often the case I have no further information on what happened to the telescope.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

 

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - Athens Observatory 1876

 Nature June 1^st 1876

The Observatory at Athens

The death is announced of Baron Simon von Sina, son of the founder of the observatory at Athens, which has been under the direction of M Bouris and Herr Julius Schmidt.

The deceased Baron is mentioned as a liberal patron of this establishment, though not himself engaged in scientific pursuits, and Herr Schmidt writes doubtfully of the future of the observatory.

Every astronomer will entertain the hope that this most laborious  and successful observer – distinguished not only by his great work upon the Moon, but for his numerous discoveries and observations of variable stars, his long and important series of observations of comets, of short period and otherwise, in which he made excellent use of the advantages of his southern position, and many other valuable contributions to  observational astronomy – may continue to hold, under favourable auspices, the direction of an establishment which his excerptions have made so honourably known in the astronomical world.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

The Astronomy show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country. 

I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

 

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.

Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope for Cambridgeshire in 1864

Algernon Peckover FRAS (1803-1894) was a banker from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, in 1864 he purchased a Thomas Cooke & Sons 5.5-inch telescope. 

There were 5 astronomical eyepieces, and it came with a plain equatorial mounting. The cost was £130 (today 2026 that would be over £21,400). 

In 1865 he purchased a driving clock for the equatorial

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - Paris Observatory in 1876

 Nature May 25th 1876

Paris Observatory

There is at present being erected in the Paris Observatory Gardens a house for the Bishofsheim transit instrument, which has been constructed admirably by Eichens.

The house possesses many peculiarities and was designed by M Leverrier for the better insuring of equality of temperature.

The roof can be removed on horizontal rails, and the walls are so perforated that there is a continual circulation of air in all parts. The frame of the house may be said to be pneumatic, as it has been constructed on a system analogous to that of the bones of birds. It is sure to work admirably.

                                                     www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke telescope Tales - telescope for Oxford in 1859

 In 1859 Edward Moore of Queens College Oxford purchased a 3 inch telescope from Thomas Cooke. 

I have no further details on either the man or the telescope

                                                        www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - new red star in 1876

Nature May 25^th 1876

Mr Birmingham, Millbrook, Tuan, mentions (Astro Nache 2092) his having remarked an intensely red star of magnitude 8.5 which is not in Schjellerup’s catalogue. From its approximate position given the star appears to be No.  3168 in Durchmusterung, where it is estimated at magnitude 8.5. It has not been found in any other catalogues.

Today this star is known as T Lyrae in the constellation of Lyra.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope for St Johns Wood London in 1859

 In 1859 W. Mitchell of St. Johns Wood, London purchased a 3.5-inch telescope from Thomas Cooke. The telescope had a focal length of 4 feet and 4 inches, plus 4 astronomical and 1 terrestrial eyepiece. It came with an equatorial mount. The cost was £60. In 2023 prices that would be £9.785. 

I have no other information at the moment about W Mitchell.

                                                        www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk                 

Cooke Telescope Tales - Did Lewis Carroll observe the night sky through a Cooke telescope?

Edward Litton was appointed rector in 1860 at St. Andrew the Apostle Church ,Naunton, Cheltenham, he was a noted writer on theology and was a friend of Revd Charles Dodgson better known under his pen name of Lewis Carroll, the author, poet, mathematician and photographer. Lewis Carroll  is said to have stayed several times at the rectory with Litton.

 In 1866 Edward Litton  purchased from Thomas Cooke & Sons a telescope with a  4.5 inch aperture, plus a finder telescope , 4 astronomical eyepieces, solar prism, dark glasses, dew cap, all supplied in aa  polished in red deal case.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - Lalande 27095 Bootes in 1804

 Nature May 18^th 1876

The star Lalande 27095 (Bootes)

Olbers, writing to Bode in July 1804, respecting his observations of the comet of that year, remarks of Lalande 27095, near the place of which star the comet was situated on March 22^nd: It was observed by Lalande as a seventh magnitude on May 25^th 1795 (Histoire Celeste, p 164).

The star was observed by Bessel on May 21^st 1828 as a ninth magnitude and is No. 976 of hour xiv in Weisse’s second catalogue. In the Durchmusterung it is magnitude 9.0.

There is evidently reason  for supposing the star to be variable.

                                                    www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

The Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country. 

I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.

 

 

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - Struve's companion of Procyon 1873

 Nature March 23rd  1876

Struve’s Companion of Procyon

Mr Otto Struve, in his remarks at the Royal Astronomical Society, in May 1874, upon the later Pulkowa observations of the faint companion to Procyon, which he discovered on March 19 1873, and which has been supposed to account for the anomalous motions of the latter, established by the researches of Prof Auwers, referred to the circumstances of the small star not having been up to that time perceived with the 26 inch refractor of the Washington Observatory.

Admiral Davis, the present superintendent of this establishment, has communicated to the Astronomische Nachrichten, the particulars of observations principally instituted for the purpose of confirming the existence of Struve’s companion. The observations were commenced in November 1873 and have been continued to the beginning of the present year.

On no single occasion have Professors Newcomb and Holden, the usual observers, or anyone who has examined the star with the 26 inch refractor, been able to detect a companion in the position assigned by the Pulkowa measures. Close faint stars have, however been remarked in other position angles.

How then is the contradictory character of the Pulkowa and Washington observations to be accounted for? It can hardly be, as suggested by Mr Struve, that “ The surpassing brilliancy of the principal star may have hindered the recognition of the small companion in its neighbourhood”, since notwithstanding it does not appear that a smaller aperture than 22 inches was employed during the Washington observations, three closer companions were considered to be certainly in existence. There remains the supposition of variability of light of the Pulkowa companion, if differences of atmospheric circumstances be ignored as inadequate to explain the want of success of other observers detecting it. 

Nothing more is heard of the Smythian orange tinged eighth magnitude distant from Procyon in 1833. As is well known, the only observation confirmatory of the existence of this star is that of Mr Fletcher MP early in March 1850, unfortunately the distance was not measured, because there is a star of similar brightness on very nearly the same angle, but a distance of 330” measured by Capt. Jacob, Mr Powell and the late Lord Wrottesley. Anyone, however, who reads Mr Fletcher's letter to Admiral Smythe, printed in “sideral Chromatics” p.69, will se that there is little doubt the object observed in 1850 was the same that was measured, or rather estimated, as to position in 1833, the difference of distance not admitting of a mistake on the part of the experienced and careful astronomer.  The more distant star was judged to be blue by Mr Powell; the orange tinge recorded in the “the cycle” is a characteristic of a large number of known variable stars.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope for sale in India in 1891

 Civil and Military Gazette (Lahore) Saturday 3^rd January 1891

 For Sale, owner leaving India 

An equatorial telescope of 6 inches aperture by T Cooke & Sons, York, driven by clockwork, with stellar and solar prisms and a lot of eyepieces. 

Also the revolving roof or dome (16 feet in diameter) of sheet zinc on teak frame, covering the telescope. 

H B Hederstedt 

late chief engineer of the Oude and Rohilkund Railway, Lucknow

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through Norma - the surveyor's level

 A superfluous constellation invented in the 1750s by Nicolas Lacaille who populated the southern skies with several constellations representing scientific instruments, in this case the Surveyor’s Level.

Originally the stars of which it is made were attached to Ara the Altar and Lupus the Wolf. On Bayer’s Uranometria Star Atlas, it became the Southern Triangle. There is today a separate constellation of the Southern Triangle.

 Since Lacaille’s time the outline of Norma has altered, so that the stars that were formerly alpha and beta have now been transferred to the neighbouring constellation of Scorpius. 

Norma does lie in a rich region of the Milky Way.

The only star worthy of mention is gamma2 which is a K class giant star with a magnitude of 4.0 it has a surface temperature of 4,300’C and lies at a distance of 129 light years.

There are many clusters in the constellation, but most are faint

The brightest is NGC 6087 sometimes known as the S Normae Cluster due to the brightest star in the cluster which is a Cepheid type variable star, S Normae. NGC 6087 is an open cluster containing around 40 stars The cluster appears at magnitude 5.4 with a diameter of 14 light years and is around 3,300 light years away.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope tales - comet Coggia observed with Newall telescope in 1874

On July 12^th 1874 Robert Newall and Norman Lockyer observed comet Coggia using the Thomas Cooke & Sons 25 inch telescope.  The observations were made at Newall’s observatory at Gateshead. The 25 inch was at the time the largest telescope in the world.

                                                        www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - large meteor seen over Blackpool in 1872

On November 6^th 1872,  D. Winstanley whilst looking over the sea a few minutes before 10.00 o’clock saw a meteor of large size. It was accompanied by a short scintillating train and moved slowly quite parallel with the horizon directly north. Its elevation was about 15 degrees and its rate of motion was about 1.5 degrees per second. The night was dark and somewhat cloudy, and the line described by the meteor was seemingly quite straight.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

The Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country.

 I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.

 

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - comet klinkerfues in 1854

Comet Klinkerfues 1854 was seen from the Whitehaven Observatory on the night of October 7^th 1854. The comet had been discovered by the German astronomer Ernest Klinkerfues on the night of September 12^th 1854 at the Berlin observatory. From Whitehaven it was described as looking like a round nebulous body without any appearance of a tail. The comet was seen in Ursa Major the Great Bear. 

There were very few observations of the comet and it is therefore classed as a near parabolic comet with no certainty when it will come close to the Sun next.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - Transit of Venus observed from Mauritius

 Abridged from the Times January 9^th 1875 

The further news which we have received from  Mauritius is much more hopeful than that telegraphed by Lord Lindsay, for it includes an account of the doings of Mr Meldrum, the director of the Government Observatory in that island. 

Mr Meldrum having only a few weeks before the transit of Venus been provided with a perfect telescope of six inches aperture by Thomas Cooke & Sons, York has been fortunate enough to obtain an observation of the ingress although both Lord Lindsay and the German party were prevented from doing this but the cloudy state of the sky. But although Mr Meldrum obtained the two-interior contact 5s, clouds and haze were at intervals passing over the Sun, which, in fact, was obscuring during the greater part of the transit, passing showers of rain not being wanting to harass the observers. 

At times beautiful definitions of the planet were observed, especially soon after the first interior contact. Then there was a long period of obscuration, after which, most fortunately, the Sun shone out for the second interior contact. A few minutes before the last interior contact the Sun was again obscured, and when the clouds passed away the transit was over.

                                                    www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy -astronomy lectures in 1841

During April and May 1841 a course of 6 popular lectures on astronomy were give at the mechanics Institute at Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire by Dr Henderson of the Liverpool Observatory. Dr Henderson was the author of various works on astronomy, geography and navigation.

                                                        www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope in Poland in 1898

 In Warsaw in 1898 an observatory was established in an observatory a short distance north west of the university there. The observatory had originally belonged to the Polish amateur astronomer Jan Walery Jedrzejewicz (1835-1887) at Plonsk in central Poland. 

Among the equipment in the observatory was a 5 inch Thomas Cooke & Sons telescope. Among the objects that Jedrzejewicz observed were double stars, sunspots, lunar occultations and the positions of 16 comets.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through Musca the Fly

Musca (Latin for "the fly") is a small constellation in the deep southern sky. The constellation can be located just below the Southern Cross. It cannot be seen from Britain.

 It was one of 12 constellations created by Petrus Plancius from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman, and it first appeared on a celestial globe 35 cm (14 in) in diameter published in 1597 (or 1598) in Amsterdam by Plancius and Jodocus Hondius.

 The first depiction of this constellation in a celestial atlas was in Johann Bayer's Uranometria of 1603. It was also known as Apis (Latin for "the bee") for 200 years.

Lacaille in 1776 renamed it to Musca Australis, the Southern Fly, to its then counterpart the now discarded constellation of Musca Borealis. The Australis part has now been discarded.

Alpha has a brightness of magnitude of 2.7 and is a class B2 star lying 315 light years away.

Beta lies 340 light years away and has a magnitude of 3.0 its a B2 class star.

Gamma is a B5 class star with a brightness of magnitude 3.9 lying at a distance of 325 light years.

Delta has a brightness of magnitude 3.7 and is a K2 class giant star at a distance of 91 light years.

There is one deep sky object of interest this is NGC 5189 or the Spiral Planetary Nebula. It was discovered by James Dunlop on July 1^st 1826 from  Paramatta  in Australia. NGC 5189 is 1,780 light years from earth and with a magnitude of 8.2 it will need a good pair of binoculars or a small telescope to see it.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

Cooke Telescope Tales - Carter Observatory in New Zealand

 In the Carter Observatory in Wellington New Zealand is a 9.75 inch Thomas Cooke & Sons telescope that has a wonderful history. 

It was originally made for Edward Crossley of Halifax, West Yorkshire in 1867 as a 9.3 inch telescope, it was used extensively by Crossley and his assistant Joseph Gledhill, with important observations of Mars and Jupiter being made. The 9.3 inch was also used in double star measurements and lead to be of the most important early catalogues on double stars by Crossley, Gledhill and James Wilson of Rugby. 

In 1896 a new photo visual lens was place in the telescope tube, it was slightly small at 9 inches.  On the death of Crossley in 1905 and the retirement of Gledhill the telescope was sold to the Rev David Kennedy on the north island of New Zealand at Meeanee, where an observatory was opened in 1907. 

By 1924 the telescope had been sold again to the Wellington City Council and was installed in a tin shed rather than a proper observatory due to a lack of money. 

However a local farmer and business man Charles Rooking Carter left in his will in 1896 a sum of £2240 to build an observatory. The observatory was built in Wellington and opened in December 1941, however due to the war very little happened until 1945. 

Since then the Cooke telescope has been extensively used and was retired from research work in 1971. In 1975 it was discovered that the chemicals inside the lens were unstable and over time would damage the lens. In 2001 a new lens this time 9.75 inches was installed. 

Today the telescope is still used for public open evenings and is a testament to the telescopes built by Thomas Cooke was made in 1867 and is still working today.

                                                        www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Cooke Telescope Tales - the Transit of Venus in 1882

 Arthur Samuel Atkinson was born in Hurworth, Durham in 1833 and moved to New Zealand in 1853. He fought during the Taranaki war in 1860 and eventually he entered the legal profession but had a great love of astronomy. 

In 1882 he was asked by the Royal Society of London to be an official observer of the Transit of Venus. To do this he obtained a 5 inch Thomas Cooke & Sons telescope which I believe he purchased second hand. He also used it to observe the total eclipse of the Sun in 1885. 

The telescope was housed in an observatory in Nelson which is on the south island of New Zealand and was originally called the Atkinson Observatory. In 1982 a newer building was opened and in 2008 the observatory was renamed the Cawthron Atkinson Observatory after the wealthy benefactor Thomas Cawthron. 

The Cooke 5 inch telescope was officially retired from active use in 2017 and was placed in a new Cawthron Trust Institute building for people to look at. The Cooke was replaced by a celestron 14 inch telescope.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

The Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country. 

I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.

 

A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - observatory broken into in 1887

 Wallington & Carshalton Herald Saturday 9^th July 1887

 

WANTON MISCHIEF ! A DISGRACE TO WALLINGTON.

 

To the Editor of The Herald

 

Sometime last night my Observatory was  broken into and the equatorial astronomical telescope mounted there was completely ruined, the object glass, good one by Wray, was stolen. and all the adjusting and clamping screws removed and taken away. 

These things, of course, have  little or no value in themselves apart from the instrument, but  without them the whole machine with all its lenses and accessories, which I kept  for greater safety in the house. is utterly useless. Such wanton mischief ought somehow to be exposed. 

I regret to say that this is not the first time I have had reason to complain, for hardly a month has passed during the year without some damage being done to the observatory itself; it is of very light structure. made of wood and covered with the Patent Willesden Card and has successfully stood the heavy  snow falls and storms of the past winter, but has not been proof against the sticks and stones which has frequently been sent through it. 

The observatory stands in but perhaps too near the footpath across the lavender field from which the  mischief has been done. 

I never expect that my loss can be replaced, it would be no easy matter to get the  missing parts, probably scattered in the lavender field re made, and a new instrument, even if I could afford to buy it, could never have the associations and interesting early study. 

But what can be said for this wanton spirit of destruction, which would have been counted a disgrace, even by the most uncivilised races of the world. 

However let the people of Wallington know what sort they have in their midst to deal with, and be on their guard, for what can be safe?

 

I am yours faithfully 

John  H Haslam 

Penden Wallington, July 5th

                                                     www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope for Thomas Bazeley in 1867

 In July 1867 the polymath Thomas Bazeley purchased a 6 inch telescope from Thomas Cooke & Sons, the telescope cost £365 (today this would be over £45,000) . In 1877 Bazeley donated the telescope to Joseph Baxendell. 

Baxendell was a prolific variable star observer and in fact discovered around 20 new variable stars, including the nova T Corona Borealis in 1866, this would later become known as the Blaze Star because it went novae again in 1846. 

This 6 inch Cooke would allow him to continue his variable star work. Bazley also supplied the timber structure for the telescope. Baxendell renamed his house at 14, Liverpool Road, Birkdale, The Observatory.

                                                      www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - telescope orders for London

 Kilpatrick & Co, 2 Northampton Square, London  are listed as merchants, what is a little confusing is that at the same address is Peter Kilpatrick. I don’t know if he was related in any way he was a jeweller. He also had a branch in Melbourne, Australia.

The following instruments were ordered. 

20.01.1866  3.5 inch Telescope mounted on a tall tripod. with zonal and vertical motions

11.04.1867 Solar eyepiece, sliding wedge of dark glass

21.09.1867 4 inch Telescope mounted on tripod with zonal and vertical motions

20.11.1867 3.5 inch astronomical telescope, 4 feet 6 inch or 4 feet 9 inch length with finder and dew cap. No stand. 4 eyepieces. Adapted for viewing nebulae- to have wide field eyepiece mag x25.

                                                    www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

 

Cooke Telescope Tales - transit instrument for Bushy Heath in 1866

 On 16.11.1866, W U Jones, The Warren, Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire  ordered a first rate transit instrument . Later in 1867 he ordered equipment for his observatory including 4 friction wheels and tramway, 10 feet 4.5 inches inside diameter, wheels not more than 8 inches diameter.

                                                        www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through Monceros the Unicorn

 If you think that finding a Unicorn on the Earth wait until you look for one in the night sky.

A faint but fascinating constellation between Orion and Canis Minor.  Jakob Bartsch, a German mathematician and son in law of Johannes Kepler brought it into general use on his star chart of 1624, although there are references to such a constellation in this position in earlier works by astronomers. there are some reports that in 1564 it was regarded as “The other horse south of the Twins and the Crab”. There are even earlier references to the constellation being represented on Persian star globes.

Its location in the Milky Way ensures that it is well stocked with nebulae and clusters.

The three stars Betelgeuse in Orion, Procyon in Canis Minor and Sirius in Canis Major form what astronomers call the Winter Triangle. The Unicorn is found within this triangle.

Alpha has a magnitude of only 3.9 and lies 148 light years away. It is a G class giant star.

The brightest star is beta at magnitude 3.7, however beta is a system of three stars and under the very best of conditions you might be able to make them out. A pair of binoculars will easily show the three stars. Beta lies at a distance of about 700 light years.

With the Milky Way flowing through Monoceros the area is very rich in faint stars also there are various clusters of stars.

M 50 is an obscure open cluster in an equally obscure constellation If your sky is very clear and dark you might just glimpse it. Its 3,000 light years away. There are over 500 stars.

NGC 2232 an open cluster centred around the star 10 Monoceros. Its brightness is magnitude 4.0 and lies at a distance of 1,600 light years.

NGC 2237 the Rosette Nebula magnitude 9.0 and lies at a distance of 5,000 light years. It is a very complicated region which contains NGC 2238, 2239,2244 and 2246. It is an area often photographed by astronomers. The whole complex of nebula covers an area of 130 light years.

NGC 2261 Hubble’s Variable Nebula which is illuminated by the variable star R Monocertis which varies between 10 to 12. It is so named because it was the first object photographed by Edwin Hubble when the Palomar 200 inch telescope was used for the first time.   It is mag 9.0 and lies at a distance of 2,500 light years.

NGC 2264 The Christmas tree or Cone nebula Magnitude 4.0 and 2,600 light years away inside the nebula is a the bright luminous star S Monocerotis or 15 Monocerostis which varies very slightly S has a magnitude of 4.6

                                                     www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

Cooke Telescope Tales - small telescope in 1868

 I have come across another astronomer who purchased a small Thomas Cooke & Sons telescope. 

In this case it is J. Hullett of Clarence Lodge, Purbrook, Cosham, Hampshire who in 1868 purchased  a 2.75 inch refractor, which I would assume would have been mounted on a small tripod. 

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

A little ramble through 19th century library - book donation to RAS library in 1876

 Nature March 16^th 1876

Miss Sheepshanks has presented to the Royal Astronomical Society 200 volumes of works on astronomy, some of them very rare; Lord Lindsay has presented a large and valuable collection of the late Mr Carrington’s MSS on the subject of sun spots.

                                                       www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk

 

The Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio

 Join me, Martin Lunn MBE every Monday evening from 7.00 pm-9.00 pm on the award-winning Astronomy Show on Drystone Radio, probably the only regular astronomy show on any radio station in the country. 

I will take my weekly look at the night sky and look at all the latest news in astronomy. There will be the astronomical anniversaries this week plus the latest news from the astronomical societies in the north of England.

The Astronomy Show every Monday evening only on Drystone Radio live online at www.drystoneradio.com DAB radio in Bradford and East Lancashire, or 102 and 103.5 FM and can also be heard later on the Drystone Radio Podcast.

 

Cooke Telescope tales - telescope sent to Calcutta in 1903

 In 1903 Thomas Cooke & Sons of York supplied a 4.5 inch telescope to the Government Observatory in Calcutta, India. The head of the observatory was Mr Evershed, Attached to the telescope was a 5 inch Camera also supplied by Cookes.

The telescope was mounted on a Cooke iron pillar which were housed in a shed. This shed was mounted on wheels and rails that allowed it to be moved when the telescope was to be used.

                                            www.theramblingastronomer.co.uk