Credit:Science Museum/Science & Society Picture Library
Caption:
Print of the telescope installed in 1791 at the private observatory of Sir George Shuckburgh (1751-1804) in Warwickshire, England. The engraving, taken from 'Rees Cyclopedia' published 1812-1820, shows a refracting telescope of 4 inch aperture on an equatorial mounting. Built by Jesse Ramsden (1735-1800), the foremost London instrument maker, it was intended as a measuring instrument. Later in 1811, it was presented to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich where it was little used due to the instability of its mounting. After many years of inactivity the instrument (Inv No. 1929-979) was presented to the London Science Museum In 1929.