Anyone know what this is?

[ped]

Hi guys, this belonged to my late brother...any ideas?

It has a rotatable prism, and two "pull down" filters, which pass about as much light as welders goggles.

 

[GSS]

Ped, i'm not seeing any images..
Ok now I am..

 

[ped]

Copied the wrong image code sorry :/

 

[RA_pierce]

Perhaps it's for observing the sun.

 

[GSS]

Perhaps it's for observing the sun.

Sounds right..
Any idea of the date it was made? Looks like early 1900..

 

[ped]

Possibly, though why is it pointing at the desk?

Don't know any dates on it sorry.

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi,
Looks like a sight for a mortar maybe a telescope.
Rich

 

[hakzaw1]

oH, YEAH--I have two of these but mine are white!!! J/Kiddin'

what is printed on it--looks like ??CARD
ANY numbers --words anywhere else?
I see myb 666 on the top pic?
Have you asked Sam??
He loves challenges like this and so do I==+590 for PED!


great thread.. most all of us have an item or more like this.

Have you tried using it w/ the sun?

sending Sam a link ..

len


XXXXXXXXXXX

instant reply from sam:

> http://laserpointerforums.com/f57/anyone-know-what-101579.html
>
> we need your he[p w/ this item

Heck, I have no idea....

Any labeling?

--- sam


I replied with what I could see
??CARD
and 666.


HAKS GUESS--A PART of a 5extant..


update
not a ***tant part--the matt finish is not right.

PED
does it look like the box was made for more??
OR does it fill the box? anything on or bottom of the case?

 

[WizardG]

Some form of ***tant?

 

[hakzaw1]

we cannot use .5 E X. in any post...same w/ 5pagheti and Kasio

 

[paul1598419]

Looks like an old spectroscope to me. The filters might be for reading very bright spectra.

 

[RA_pierce]

Possibly, though why is it pointing at the desk?

Don't know any dates on it sorry.

My guess would be that it's meant to project an image onto a surface (like your desk) rather than be used for direct observation.
Alternatively, it may have been meant to be mounted to something else, in which case it may not point to your desk. The cylindrical tube has a pointer that looks like some sort of guide.

It looks like the prism can be rotated. Perhaps this will allow you to project an image through the filters for alignment or something.

I'd guess that its purpose is for mounting to a solar telescope. The tube with guide points at the sun, which projects light into the prism, which you rotate for a comfortable viewing angle through the filters.

 

[RedCowboy]

The pointer makes me think it uses the sun.

Some kind of solar s.e.x.t.a.n.t or solar positioning device, the sun shines on the pointer and makes an image down the tube to a card that has solar arcs mapped so you can match the arc with the day of the year to tell time? Is it an old solar clock ?

Arc card goes at the bottom ?

 

[hakzaw1]

americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1167852

from PL member 'laserist'


quote


QUOTE=laserist;340103]It's an azimuth mirror.
Kelvin and James White Azimuth Mirror | National Museum of American History[/QUOTE]

 

[hakzaw1]

WHOA-- SEE THE OP

ped ped is offline
Class 3B Laser
ped's Avatar


Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Liverpool , UK


Hi guys, this belonged to my late brother...any ideas ____________

sooo NOT MY FIND (although I wish it were)
and PL member laserist posted the find--not me##########
OOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKK

XXW/O looking it up iirc RCB is not wrong-- position of the sun in relative to the earth= azimuth

which BTW is something needed when using a 5extant to find your position.(again IIRC)
(sorry state of affairs for a (long retired) Able Seaman ..Open Ocean.)

I could not find a pic I that link--searching for one now-will combine posts later.

btw we have a thread a lot like this--from a while back..

 

[Lifetime17]

hi,Hak,
Wow what a find great piece of history, kudos on researching this instrument . i am over whelmed and impressed with this find. + Rep..
@ Ped,
you have a golden piece of history . in the pic that has researched it is missing the glass part on the base. shown that your might be the first or one of many prototypes . Congratulations awesome thread and captivating. one of the best i read in a while outside of our hobby.+Rep

Rich