Optical Collection (#18)

Galaxy M106
Spiral galaxy M106. Optical image of the spiral galaxy M106 (NGC 4258), around 25 million light years away in the constellation Canes Venatici. North is at top

Smoke signalling. Historical artwork of ancient Greek warriors using smoke signals to communicate. This was an early form of optical communication

Visual telegraph system, 1791
Visual telegraph system. Coloured artwork of the demonstration, in 1791, of the Synchronised System by the French inventors, the brothers Chappe

Optical communication

Communication tower

Early telegraph message, 1794
Early telegraph message. Coloured artwork of the 1794 use of a semaphore telegraph system to send a war message. This was the first efficient use of a telegraph system

Optical disc. Compact discs (CDs) and digital versatile discs (DVDs) are examples of optical discs. An optical disc digitally stores music and other data as tiny depressions in a plastic disc

DVD media, computer artwork

Computer artwork of an impossible triangle
Impossible triangle. Abstract computer artwork of a triangle, made from 3 sections of tower block, which would be impossible to construct because it breaks the laws of artistic perspective

CD drive, simulated X-ray
CD drive. Simulated X-ray of a compact disc (CD) drive from a computer. A disc is in the sliding tray at bottom. This will retract into the machine

Optical fibre, close-up. This object is used for transmitting data in the form of light. It is usually made from flexible glass that has a high refractive index

General view of Bit-Serial Optical Computer, BSOC
Optical computer. General view of the Bit-Serial Optical Computer (BSOC), the first optical computer that stores and manipulates data and instructions as pulses of light

Laser writing optical data onto adhesive tape
Optical storage tape. Researcher observing a semiconductor laser (blue) writing data onto different layers of a roll of plastic adhesive tape

Confocal microscope image of optical computer tape
Optical storage tape surface. Confocal microscopy as a surface plot of a roll of plastic adhesive tape on which optical data has been written. Each hump is one bit of information

Early television system, 19th century
Early television system. Historical artwork of a proposed 19th century system to transmit an image by using optical and telephone technology. The original image (a womans head) is at left

Military semaphore, 19th century
Military semaphore. Historical artwork of a mobile semaphore system in use in the Crimean War (1853- 1856). The first efficient semaphore telegraphy system (sending messages by semaphore signals)

Optical telegraphy, 19th century
Optical telegraphy. Historical artwork of a light- signalling device used in optical telegraphy. This is a Mangin projector, invented by colonel Mangin in the early 1880s

Laser videodisc with simulated laser beam
An optical video disc with a simulated beam of laser light. The optical disc uses technology similar to that used by digital compact discs to store information

Pinwheel galaxy (M33)

Pinwheel galaxy. Optical image of the Pinwheel galaxy (M33) in the constellation Triangulum. North is at top. This face-on spiral galaxy is just under 3 million light years from our Milky Way galaxy

True-colour Palomar image of the Andromeda Galaxy
Andromeda Galaxy. True-colour optical image from the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey of the Great Andromeda Galaxy (M31; NGC 224)

Mars close approach 2007, HST image
Mars close approach 2007, Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image. Mars is a cold desert world, with an atmosphere of mostly carbon dioxide

Mars, October 2005, HST image
Mars, Hubble Space Telescope image. North is at top. A large dust storm is seen at centre (brighter orange area). Mars was 43 million kilometres from Earth during this close approach on 28 October

Meteor over lake
Meteor. Optical image of a meteor track (upper right) in the night sky and reflected in a lake. A meteor, or shooting star

Leonid meteor. Optical time-exposure image of a Leonid meteor (white diagonal line, lower centre) and star trails (curved tracks)

Leonid meteors. Optical time-exposure image of Leonid meteors (streaks) against a starfield containing the Milky Way (band across centre)

Lunar eclipse, 28 / 08 / 2007
Lunar eclipse. The Moon emerging from totality during a lunar eclipse. The bright area at left is full sunlight returning as the Moon passes out of the shadow of the Earth

27 day old moon with earthshine, optical image. This waning (decreasing in apparent size) moon has a crescent sliver of sunlight highlighting its underside

Total lunar eclipse. Sequence of optical images of the total eclipse of the Moon of 9th January 2001. The sequence runs from top right to bottom left

Perseid meteor shower, meteor track
Perseid meteor shower. Optical image of a meteor track (upper right) from the Perseid meteor shower. This shower reaches its peak around August the 12th each year

Vision and the brain, MRI scan
Vision and the brain. Coloured Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan of an axial section through the head of a 55 year old man, showing the eyes, optic nerves and brain

Robert Hookes microscope in Micrographia 1665
Robert Hookes drawing of his own compound microscope in Micrographia (1665). The illuminator (left) consisted of an oil lamp with a spherical flask acting as a condenser (G)

Wide-angle zoom camera lens

Microscope lenses. Close-up of the objective lenses mounted on the quick-change turret of an optical microscope. Each lens can be swivelled into place to provide a different magnification

Light microscopy
MODEL RELEASED. Light microscopy. Researcher operating a light or optical microscope. She is looking through the eyepiece of the microscope and operating the focus control with her hand

Microscope objective lenses
Microscope lenses. Microscope with five objective lenses mounted on a quick-change turret. The lenses are reflected by the glass plate on which a sample being observed would be placed

Moving lights, abstract image

Guillaume Amontons, French physicist
Guillaume Amontons (1663-1705). Historical artwork of the French physicist and inventor Guillaume Amontons demonstrating his optical telegraphy system to the Dauphin of France

Claude Chappe, French engineer
Claude Chappe (1763-1805), inventor of mechanical- optical telegraphy. Chappe was a French engineer and cleric. His rise to fame came during the French Revolution when he looked at ways to improve

Skate research. Skate (Raja erinacea) eye being studied under a microscope at the Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory (MBL) in Massachusetts, USA

Skates collected for research
Skate specimens. Fishing net holding skates (Raja erinacea, with long tails) caught for biological research at the Woods Hole Marine Biology Labora- tory (MBL) in Massachusetts, USA

Prism, light spectrum
Conceptual computer artwork of a prism and light spectrum

Star cluster Pismis 24 above NGC 6357
Star cluster Pismis 24 (upper centre) above the nebula NGC 6357, Hubble Space Telescope image. The nebula is glowing under the impact of radiation from hot, young stars, such as those in the cluster

Light echoes around star V838 Monocerotis, Hubble Space Telescope image. This star underwent a massive brightening, or nova, in 2002

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"Exploring the Mysteries of the Optical Universe: From Orion Nebula to Northern Lights" Step into a world where beauty and wonder collide, as we delve into the captivating realm phenomena. The breathtaking Orion Nebula unveils its celestial secrets, showcasing a cosmic ballet of Blossom and Decay. Behold the mesmerizing Nebula Sh 2-106 in all its glory, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope's keen eye. Its ethereal hues paint an otherworldly canvas that transports us to distant galaxies. But it's not just far-off wonders that captivate our gaze; closer to home, nature puts on its own spectacular light show with the enchanting dance of the Northern Lights. A sight so magical, it leaves us awestruck at Earth's natural marvels. Through an optical lens, we peer into space and witness Sirius shining brightly amidst a sea of stars. The star filter reveals its true radiance, reminding us of our infinitesimal place in this vast universe. The spiral galaxy M81 beckons us further into deep space with its stunning composite image. Its swirling arms tell tales of cosmic evolution and remind us that even galaxies are subject to change. Venturing deeper still, we encounter the enigmatic Horsehead Nebula—a dark silhouette against a backdrop of stellar brilliance—an enigma waiting to be unraveled. Andromeda Galaxy awaits our exploration next—the closest spiral galaxy to our Milky Way—inviting us to ponder what lies beyond our familiar celestial neighborhood. Intriguingly intertwined within this tapestry is also human ingenuity—the University of Oxford's College serves as a cradle for knowledge seekers who unravel these mysteries day by day. Meanwhile, Chadburn Brothers' Albion Works stands as testament to humanity's pursuit in crafting precise optical instruments that unlock new realms for discovery.