Telescope Gallery

Giovanni Cassini Statue

GIOVANNI DOMENICO CASSINI later Jean-Dominique, French astronomer and first Director of the Paris Observatory, who discovered four of Saturn's moons Date: 1625 - 1712

© Mary Evans Picture Library

1625, 1712, Astronomer, Book, Cassini, Director, Discovered, Domenico, Dominique, Dress, French, Giovanni, Historical, History, Jean, Moons, Observatory, Paris, Pen, Pensive, Roman, Saturn, Saturns, Statue, Style, Telescope, Who

Major (later Major-General) Sir Neil Campbell CB

Major (later Major-General) Sir Neil Campbell CB (1776-1827), 1815 (c).Oil on canvas by Edouard Henri Pingret (1788-1875), 1819.Full-length, in the uniform of the 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot, holding a telescope, his cloak spread on the ground beside him on which are maps; gunsmoke and a windmill in the background (possibly Waterloo).Known as The man who let Boney go, Major Sir Neil Campbell was chosen by the British Government to accompany Napoleon to the island of Elba in 1814. However, in February 1815, whilst Campbell was in Florence on business, Napoleon effected his escape to France. It was widely believed that Campbell had been bribed, but he was not officially blamed for the escape and his service was declared satisfactory. In 1815 Campbell went on to command the 54th (or the West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot, serving at the Battle of Waterloo and the storming of Cambray. Promoted Major-General in 1825, he was appointed Governor of Sierra Leone, where he died of fever in 1827. Oil on canvas Date: 1815

© The National Army Museum / Mary Evans Picture Library

Zeppelin in flames as seen through telescope

Zeppelin in flames as seen through telescope from Southfields, September 3rd 1916. Signed Walter Hunt.This relates to the Zeppelin raid on the night 2nd/3rd September 1916 and shows the shooting down of Schutte-Lanz 11 commanded by Wilhelm Schramm which was shot down by 2nd Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson in his B.E.2C biplane. The descent of the blazing S-L 11 from a height of 2 miles to a field at Cuffley was seen by many Londoners, as shown in this oil painting. Walter Hunt (1861-1941)

© David Cohen Fine Art/Mary Evans Picture Library