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Heliostat

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Description
A heliostat throws sunlight where it might be needed, whether for photography or scientific observations. This example resembles the Foucault heliostat made by the Société Genevoise. A tag on the base reads: “PRESENTED TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY BY ERNEST KEMPTON ADAMS.” Ernest Kempton Adams was a graduate of Columbia University. Following his untimely death in 1904, his father donated his large collection of scientific and engineering instruments to Columbia, as well as $50,000 to support physical research.
Ref: Société Genevoise, Illustrated Price List of Physical and Mechanical Instruments (Geneva, 1900), pp. 85-86.
"Adams's Gift to Columbia," New York Times (March 24, 1905), p. 9.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Columbia University
ca 1900
ID Number
PH.335221
catalog number
335221
accession number
315390
Object Name
Heliostat
Measurements
overall: 21 in x 23 in x 20 in; 53.34 cm x 58.42 cm x 50.8 cm
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
Science & Mathematics
Optics
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_1167129
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a9-f8f6-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

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