Italian designer Odoardo Fioravanti has designed a telescope with a wooden body to mark the 4ooth anniversary of the first telescope observations made by Galileo Galilei.
Called Galileo’s Telescope, the piece was designed for manufacturers of optical instruments Palomar.
Like the original it has a one-metre focal length but uses modern optical technology.
Photographs are by Emanuele Zamponi.
Here’s some more information from the designer:
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Galileo’s Telescope
The telescope we are presenting is directly inspired by Galileo’s first telescope made in 1609: it has the same dimensions, same focal length (1 meter) and the same wooden material. This object, combining past and present, has the aim of “updating” the ancient instrument in its modern use through Odoardo Fioravanti’s contemporary design and through the product’s modern optical technology. Furthermore, this object was developed in Florence, where Galileo pointed for the first time his telescope towards the sky at the end of 1609.
The telescope, inspired to the ancient model, has a contemporary and winning design; it is perfectly operative, thanks to modern optical technologies, and enables the observation of the elements of the solar system, in particular the moon, but also of planets. The Telescope can be used as a powerful terrestrial telescope as well.
Technical specifications
Refracting telescope D60/F1000
Focal length: 1000 mm
Objective diameter: 60 mm
Resolving power: 2”
Light gathering power: 73,5
Focal ratio: f/16,6
February 2nd, 2010 at 4:02 pm
i love that last photograph
February 2nd, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Mleh! The designer has taken all the lovely geeky details of a telescope/binoculars away and given it a “designed” look. Not my cuppa tea but i’m sure he’ll flog a few.
February 3rd, 2010 at 4:01 pm
At a glance, it reminds me of a Japanese’ Shinai.
February 4th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
I want one!