Archimedes’ telescope

Archimedes’ telescope

It seems that Dubrovnik was in possession of Archimedes’ telescope, about which a testimony exists written in 1672 by Antun Sorgo (Sorkocevic, son of distinguished Dubrovnik composer Luka Sorkocevic), in his book “Origine et chute de l’ancienne Republique de Raguse”. Antun Sorgo was the last ambassador of the Dubrovnik Republic to France, where he spent 35 years. The Archimedes’ telescope seems to have been lost during the desastrous Dubrovnik earthquake in 1667. The basic idea of Archimedes’ reflecting telescope (3rd ct. BC) seems to coincide with that of Newton’s reflecting telescope (Isaac Newton, 1642–1727).

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