Comet seeker
Encyclopedia
A comet seeker is a type of small telescope
adapted especially to searching for comet
s: commonly of short focal length
and large aperture
, in order to secure the greatest brilliancy of light
.
For example, in 1842 a 4-inch (10 cm) aperture Comet Seeker was added to Markree Observatory
, which was used to discover 9 Metis
in 1848.
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
adapted especially to searching for comet
Comet
A comet is an icy small Solar System body that, when close enough to the Sun, displays a visible coma and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena are both due to the effects of solar radiation and the solar wind upon the nucleus of the comet...
s: commonly of short focal length
Focal length
The focal length of an optical system is a measure of how strongly the system converges or diverges light. For an optical system in air, it is the distance over which initially collimated rays are brought to a focus...
and large aperture
Aperture
In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,...
, in order to secure the greatest brilliancy of light
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
.
For example, in 1842 a 4-inch (10 cm) aperture Comet Seeker was added to Markree Observatory
Markree Observatory
-History:In 1830, Col. Edward Joshua Cooper MP eldest son of Edward Synge Cooper MP, and Ann, daughter of Henry Vansittart, Governor of Bengal, set up Markree Observatory on the grounds of Markree Castle....
, which was used to discover 9 Metis
9 Metis
9 Metis is one of the larger main-belt asteroids. It is composed of silicates and metallic nickel-iron, and may be the core remnant of a large asteroid that was destroyed by an ancient collision...
in 1848.