Japan's first reflecting telescope (Kunitomo Ikkansai)
Primer telescopio reflector japonés (Kunitomo Ikkansai)
- Date
- 1831 · confidence high
- Place
- Nagahama, Shiga, Japan
- Credited to
- Kunitomo Ikkansai
- Field
- Communication
What it is
The gunsmith Kunitomo Ikkansai built in 1831 Japan's first reflecting telescope, of Gregorian type and 60x magnification, with a polished metal mirror. With it and its successors he studied sunspots and lunar relief in detail.
Japanese refractors existed since the 17th century; Kunitomo's distinction is the first reflector. The date varies somewhat by source (1830-1836). Four of his telescopes survive.
What it led to
- precise Japanese solar and lunar observation
- reflecting telescopes made in small series
- transfer of gunsmithing techniques to optics