On the Construction of a Silvered Glass Telescope Fifteen and a half inches in aperture, and its use in celestial photography

"On the Construction of a Silvered Glass Telescope" by Henry Draper is a 19th-century scientific text that closely examines building a silvered glass telescope for taking photos of space. The author begins by exploring the history of telescopes and then relates his own experiences making a bigger, better telescope in America. He goes into detail about the substances and methods required to grind and polish mirrors, apply silver to glass, and assemble the telescope. The commencement portion establishes a basis for a thorough conversation, concentrating on the issues encountered during the telescope's construction and how scientific experiments and creative thinking lead to solutions.