Rosse, Third Earl of (William Parsons) (1800–1867)
Irish astronomer who, in 1845, built by far the largest telescope in the
world at the time, a 72-inch (1.8-m) reflector, in the grounds of Birr Castle,
Parsonstown. Its mirror was made of speculum
and its wood and metal tube, 17 m long, was supported between two parallel
masonry walls. The so-called Leviathan of Parsonstown was used mainly for
the study of nebulae and (what we know today to be) galaxies, its most notable
discovery being the spiral nature of M51 (the Whirlpool
Galaxy). Although a great milestone in the development of large telescopes,
the Leviathan was hampered by its cumbersome mounting, the limited area
of sky to which it had access – and the southern Irish weather.
Related category
• ASTRONOMERS
AND ASTROPHYSICISTS
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